


During That Time

by keirajo



Series: The Prime and the Emperor [2]
Category: Transformers Generation One
Genre: Action/Adventure, Danger, Drama, Evil plots, Friendship, Love, M/M, Multi, Sex, Sexual Interfacing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-18
Updated: 2020-03-19
Packaged: 2020-09-08 03:37:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 19
Words: 52,103
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20298019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/keirajo/pseuds/keirajo
Summary: In the five years (before the main plot begins in "Blazing Spirit") that have gone by since Rodimus Prime and Stormbreaker left Chaar there are so many stories of action, adventure, romance and drama in the lives of those that surround Galvatron and Rodimus Prime.These are a few of their stories.





	1. Making New Friends

**Author's Note:**

> *Of special note, while the main story and plot will begin to unfold soon--these stories will be open-ended and ongoing while the main part of "five years later" happens. These are the back stories and side-stories that fill in gaps and will be neverending as long as this series goes on. So, currently listed as "infinite chapters". XD

** _ During That Time _ **

_ Chapter One: Making New Friends _

Rodimus Prime walked to Sky Lynx’s main control room and saw Slipstream and Sixshot waiting there with him, along with Jazz, who had come to be their escort to Athenia and Earth. The three Mini-Cons that had been hanging around him for quite some time were present in the control room and warbled in greeting at the young Autobot Leader. He had Stormbreaker dozing in his arms and was a little nervous to be coming back to the Autobots—_in command, no less_—in such a surprising fashion. Especially with Optimus Prime still being alive. He was certain that some of it wouldn’t go very well at all, but he hoped that after he and Optimus had both explained things to everyone, people would be more accepting of the situation.

“How’s she holding up?” Slipstream asked softly, reaching over to rub the femmeling’s red helm warmly.

“I’m sure, for a while, she’ll cry a lot and often. I will probably cry a bit, too,” Rodimus chuckled, rubbing his cheek against the top of the femmeling’s helm. “But I think she’ll be okay. I think, by giving her kitty to Galvatron—it was a big step in accepting the situation for her. Now she clutches at her Red Panda very tightly. I _hope _she’ll make friends, but it will be difficult with no one close to her age among our species—even newmechs like the Terrorcons are still _older _than her.”

“Perhaps she can make friends with the humans, when you need to be at Athenia or on Earth?” Sixshot said, folding his arms across his chest and looking at them.

“If she remembers Kicker, then she’s already made a friend,” the flame-colored mech responded with a grin. “The moving about constantly might be the most difficult thing for her, over anything else.”

Sky Lynx made a little rumbling sound, a light precursor before he spoke, to warn everyone inside of him that he was about to speak. “Gentlemen and ladies, we are just about to reach Athenia. Please prepare for landing in the next few moments,” the shuttle-mech said in a softer voice, knowing that Stormbreaker was napping lightly in her carrier’s arms.

Stombreaker murmured and shifted in Rodimus Prime’s arms and uncurled a bit as she woke up completely. She cuddled her squished Red Panda plush, that was crushed between her and her carrier’s chestplate. She felt the flame-colored mech lean down and kiss the top of her helm lovingly.

“Storm, we’re going to stop at Athenia so I can talk to Spike a little bit more about the situation,” the young Prime said softly, swiveling on his pedes to comfort her. “Then we’ll go to Earth to do some things with the Autobots at Metroplex. You’ll get to meet a **_lot_** of new people, humans and Transformers. And when we get to Cybertron, I’ll show you around Iacon and then we’ll go to Kesia, because the Decepticons also deserve to know the change in things.”

“_Decepticons? Sire?_” Stormbreaker asked, looking up into her carrier’s faceplate.

“No, not your sire. But they are ones who belong to _your sire’s empire_—they just want to live on Cybertron, rather than Chaar,” Rodimus explained with a warm smile at her.

“_Saiiiiberrrtrrrrooooonnn_……” Stormbreaker murmured, trying to say the name of the Transformers’ original birthworld. Her Cybertronian was getting better, but now she’d have to start learning _more_ languages—especially Earth English, since they spoke that primarily at the Athenian Embassy. She knew some English, because Daniel spoke it and everyone spoke it around her when the humans had been at the embassy, but she knew a lot less English than Cybertronian.

“This is Athenia—it’s a planetoid between the asteroid belt and Earth. The humans of Earth have terraformed it and placed an embassy there, where they can interact with the universe,” the Autobot Leader explained as they walked down the corridors of Sky Lynx’s interior to get to the exit.

“_Mmmbsssy_……….like home?” Stormbreaker asked.

“That’s right. Like our home had been the Autobot Embassy on Chaar—this planetoid serves the same purpose for Earth,” the flame-colored mech chuckled. “Slipstream—I’m going to look for Daniel and see if he’ll want to play with Storm for a bit, would you come with to watch her, too? In case she needs someone to lift her up and carry her around?” He asked, craning his head around as he walked to look for the Decepticon femme behind him.

“_Sure._ It’ll be interesting to speak to your human friend again—he is surprisingly knowledgeable about our kind,” the teal-and-purple femme chuckled warmly.

“He got to grow up around us, the Autobots anyways,” Rodimus Prime chuckled. “But he was surprisingly adaptable when I fell for Galvatron. And helped make all the changes.”

Rodimus was familiar enough with human bio-signatures to know how to look for Daniel or specific people that he knew in the embassy, so he followed his sensors and was surprised to find he was following a small EM field that was familiar to him as well. He assumed Daniel was probably babysitting Kicker Jones today. There were several bio-signatures in the room they were headed towards, but none of the other ones were very familiar to Rodimus Prime—definitely _none of them_ were Amber, so Daniel was with Kicker and some others.

“Hey Daniel,” Rodimus said, entering the room quietly. He looked about and saw an older human woman sitting on a nearby couch and she was reading a book. Daniel, himself, was sitting on a large tarp on the floor with Kicker and a younger little girl. They all looked to be playing with paints on big pieces of paper. The little girl was squealing happily and slapping her paint-colored hands down on the part of the paper in front of her.

“_Daaaaaannnnnnnyyyy!_” Stormbreaker said, excitedly, waving a servo down at him.

“Hey, big bro…………hi, Stormy!” The young man said cheerfully, looking up at them. He had much more than a beard _stubble_ going on today—it looked like he might be trying for a full-on beard sometime in the near future. His white tee-shirt and jeans had paint smudges and colorful handprints on it. “You know _Kicker_, of course—this energetic little girl is Kicker’s younger sister, _Sally_.” Then he waved a hand in the general direction of the couch behind him. “The woman on the couch is their mom, _Miranda Jones_,” he introduced.

“What’re youuuu dooooing?” Stormbreaker asked, staring at the paint and paper with brightly glowing violet optics. Her English was passable enough.

“We’re having fun doing _painting_. You wanna paint, too, Stormy?” Daniel asked, grinning at the femmeling cheerfully.

Rodimus Prime set his femmeling down on the floor, near Kicker, and took the Red Panda plush, handing it to Slipstream to hold onto while the youngling played with the others. Slipstream went and sat on the floor by where Miranda was sitting on the couch and greeted her politely.

“How do paint?” Stormbreaker murmured, placing a servo in her mouth and looking at the little plastic buckets of paint on the tarp. Even though she was younger than Kicker, she was just about the same size Kicker was, so Daniel tore a really big piece of paper off of the roll he had and taped it down on the tarp in front of her.

“You just put your hand in the paint and put the paint on the paper, silly,” Kicker laughed, reaching over and rubbing her helm gently, with a hand that was not covered with paint.

She purred softly at the attention and smiled at the young human boy.

“The purring means she’s _happy_. It’s not really purring, so much, but a thrumming of our vocalizer system—it’s a non-verbal way that we show that we’re happy,” Rodimus said to Kicker. “She knows _some_ English, but not a whole lot. So, she may not be very talkative right now. She’s still learning even Cybertronian.”

“Okay,” Kicker responded. He looked over at his sister and saw Sally had stopped slapping her hands on the paper and was staring at Stormbreaker—with both confusion and wonder. “Sally, this is Stormbreaker—she’s a _baby Transformer_!” He said to his sister. “Stormbreaker, this is my little sister, Sally—she’s the same age as you.”

Stormbreaker looked between Kicker and Sally. “_Baby_?” She asked, craning her head up to look at Rodimus, who was knelt behind her.

“It means you’re very little, a newmech or a newfemme. You still need to be cared for by parents or others older than you,” he explained in Cybertronian. Kicker stared up at him as he spoke Cybertronian—he’d never really heard the language spoken by an adult Transformer yet, the tone of it was very surprising to the little boy. “We speak our native language at home, but we try not to when we have guests,” Rodimus Prime said in English, smiling at the human child fondly. “Storm, why don’t you try putting a servo into the paint and put your servo on the paper, see what it looks and feels like?” He urged, speaking in Cybertronian again as he rubbed her back with a couple of gentle fingers.

The femmeling shifted and reached up her left servo to dip it in the color of red paint and stared at it on her servo for a few seconds—trying to get used to the wet, slimy-ish feel of the paint. She wiggled her fingers and then dipped it in the paint again, before slapping it on the paper in front of her, in a corner. “_Oooooooooh!!!_” She cooed, smearing her servo all around the corner of the paper and watching the paint move and spread around.

Kicker chuckled as he watched her coat more paint on both her servos—her left coated in red and her right coated in purple—and she began slapping and smearing paint on the paper in front of her, just like his little sister had been doing. Sally giggled and began emulating Stormbreaker’s excited painting motions on her own piece of paper. In a few short moments, the paint in the buckets had become a whole lot less and the papers in front of the two young females had become completely covered in smears of many colors of paint. Daniel laughed and refilled the paint buckets from containers behind him and then he set aside the two paint-covered pages and gave each of the girls new pieces of paper, carefully wiping their hands and servos clean with a damp cloth.

“I’m going to go talk to Spike for a little bit. Storm, do you think you’ll enjoy painting with your new friends?” Rodimus Prime asked in Cybertronian, rubbing a finger gently over her helm.

She craned her head up at him and smiled happily. “_Haaaavvv fuuuuuunnnn_,” the femmeling giggled, saying the words in passable English. “_Pwaaaayyy wivv Saarrry ‘n’ Kehkaaa_,” she said, trying to speak their names as best as she could in English. “_Fweeeeeendssss!!!_” She cried, waving her paint colored servos happily, she slapped her servos into the paint again and made two handprints next to each other at the top of her paper. “_Mmmm_…….Saarry, Kehkaa……….**_umm_**!” She trailed off, looking at the two young humans near her. She pointed to their hands and made a motion of putting them on the paper. “Waaaaaant………..fweends……….” she said, trying to find the words in English and not really being able to find them all.

Rodimus looked down at her and was trying to puzzle out what she wanted. “Tell me in Cybertronian and I’ll tell them,” the young Autobot Leader said softly. Stormbreaker babbled what she wanted, but it was still confusing to him. She kept pointing to their hands and making motions to the paper in front of her. Then he slapped a fist into a palm, finally grasping it. “_Oh!_ She wants Kicker and Sally to make their handprints next to hers on her piece of paper—to show that they’re her friends,” the flame-colored mech chuckled. “Kicker, she wants you to put paint on your hand and do **_this_** next to her servo-prints,” he said to the little boy, first, making a motion of placing his hand to the left of the left servo-print on the paper.

“_OH! I see!_” Kicker gasped, putting his left hand in the blue paint and making a hand print next to Stormbreaker’s left servo-print, where his thumb overlapped a little. “Sally, use your right hand and put it next to the other print, okay—just like I did.”

His little sister emulated what he just did, dipping her right hand in the pink paint and placing it next to Stormbreaker’s right servo-print, so her thumb overlapped the print.

“_Fweeeeeennnnnnddddssss!!!_” Stormbreaker cried happily, looking at the overlapping prints on the paper in front of her.


	2. Loneliness Is Never Forever

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Novablaze's first night without his sister and carrier around isn't quite as easy as he thought...……..

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to show that sometimes Decepticons don't like the names they were born with. You know, like the IDW comics did. *chuckle*
> 
> And a callback to something that happened in a "Life" 'fic from the previous series. :)

_ Chapter Two: Loneliness Is Never Forever _

It was the first recharge cycle that Novablaze had where he was all alone in the room he’d once shared with his carrier and his younger sibling. Even the few times when Hot Rod and Stormbreaker had been away, someone else from the embassy had usually stayed with him until he’d gone into recharge. It was very strange and very quiet.

_Too quiet_, to be perfectly honest.

Novablaze couldn’t figure out what to do to be able to go into recharge. He didn’t want to call up his carrier, who’d just left that morning, and he certainly didn’t want to beg his sire for company—he already knew _that _would not go well whatsoever. Carnivac said that if he needed anything, to just ask anyone in the embassy, but he didn’t want to be a bother on his very first day without his family near him. _He wanted to prove he was old enough to not be so dependent on anyone anymore!_

Ah, but it was so wonderful to see his carrier happy and confident once again. It brought back some faded old memories of when he’d been Rodimus Prime before—his big and loving carrier! His sire seemed to be very happy about Hot Rod becoming Rodimus Prime again, even if it meant the flame-colored mech was leaving Chaar. Novablaze kind of felt that maybe most of Galvatron’s regret was that Rodimus had to take Stormbreaker with him—his sire really had become attached to the femmeling.

But………..**_now_** what should he do? He couldn’t seem to feel comfortable trying to go into recharge. Novablaze turned over and over several times and his systems just wouldn’t settle down. He was just about to get up and go to ask Carnivac to watch over him until he fell asleep, when the young mech heard a light knock on the door.

The mechling practically leaped up and ran to the door—_anything_ to get him away from the uncomfortableness of trying to recharge and not succeeding very well. When the door opened, he saw Quake standing there, fidgeting a little bit.

“Hi Quake, is there something wrong?” Novablaze asked, trying to be cheerful and not show he was anxious about trying to sleep all alone in this big room.

“_Mmmm_,” the dark red-and-blue colored mech said softly, shaking his head. “I dunno, I just thought you might feel a bit lonely on your first night by yourself and I thought I’d come by and make sure you’d gotten to sleep.”

Novablaze thought for a moment he could try to blow it off, but he really didn’t want to try going back to sleep in the big and lonely room. He shifted on his pedes a bit and shyly looked up at the older mech.

“**_I_**……….I can’t sleep,” the mechling said with a sigh. “Can you stay with me for a little bit? Maybe I’ll feel better if I can hear someone else’s systems running in the room.”

“Sure, I’ll stick around for a while,” Quake responded with a light smile and entered the room as Novablaze walked back over to his berth. The older Decepticon looked around and grabbed a chair, bringing it over closer to the mechling’s berth. “I have to say, it **_is_** a little bit weird without your carrier around—he may not have a field as easily perceptible as Lord Galvatron’s, but it’s certainly a field that you can miss when it’s not here.”

“Cari’s warmth,” Novablaze murmured, tugging the blanket over his frame.

“_Yeah_. Definitely that,” Quake chuckled. Then the Decepticon smiled and relaxed in the chair he’d claimed. “It’s strange. I feel comfortable around you—you remind me of Tsunami. _Errr_, well, he changed his name to _Wave Smasher_, because he didn’t feel _‘Tsunami’_ was a very threatening name.”

“_It’s the same thing!_” Novablaze laughed.

“We **_all_** know that, he was a weirdo but………..you know, we came out of Vector Sigma’s chamber together and we’d been together all our lives. Quake and Tsunami,” the Decepticon chuckled, smiling fondly at his memories of his very best friend and longtime lover. “While I specialized in terrain evaluation for combat, he specialized in aquatic combat—far beneath the depths. He worked with the Seacons for quite some time, too.” Then Quake paused and shook his head lightly. “Look, I know your carrier wanted to ease you into some of our history, but the thing you should know is that the Decepticons were usually considered _‘the bad guys’_. It was more of our need to fight and conquer things and almost all fleshlings were all so tiny, we didn’t consider them any kind of species worth saving or interacting with. Also, Energon was becoming scarce on Cybertron, so a lot of our desire to conquer was also to find new sources of Energon.”

“_Oh_,” Novablaze murmured. “I didn’t know.”

“Times change—and trust me, _war changes you_,” Quake explained. “I think your carrier has the right of it, though—there are ways to let the Decepticons deal with their programming that don’t include going off and destroying everything in sight. For others, though, sometimes the easiest way is to just give in—and that’s what we did for millennia. We didn’t look to see what we could _do better_, we took the simplest route of our violent desires.”

“So, the programming of each line is important?” The mechling asked. A memory of something his sire talked about with him right after Stormbreaker had been born popped back into his head. About “_good guys_” and “_bad guys_”. He realized now that his sire had been talking about himself in that discussion—how the “_leader of the good guys_” had helped the “_leader of the bad guys_” have “_peaceful times_”. “_Cari_……….cari ended the war, didn’t he? He helped my sire find other ways to live with his programming?” Novablaze gasped as it all came together.

“_Yep_. **_Megatron_** was a tyrant—he wanted to dominate everything. Transformers, fleshlings……the universe in general. His Decepticon Empire **_WAS_** the universe,” the Decepticon warrior responded, making a waving motion with a servo. “Now Galvatron, he has the right of it—even if his emotional capabilities aren’t like ours and he views things differently, he wants the Decepticon Empire for the Decepticons. And that flame-colored Autobot showed him how to make _that_, without destroying everything around him to get there.”

“It’s okay to be different, right? That’s what cari wants—for Autobots to be themselves and for Decepticons to be themselves and for the universe to be kinda balanced,” Novablaze asked, tilting his head curiously at his Decepticon friend. “Cari says I should ask someone who Megatron is, because he used to be my sire, kinda?”

“_Oh_. I guess I sort of have heard the stories, that Unicron used his power to reformat Megatron into Galvatron. But it seems like Galvatron really is his own individual, with just a smattering of Megatron’s memories here and there,” Quake chuckled. “Megatron was……..well, as I said, a **_tyrant_**. He didn’t care about any single individual—_nobody _was ever important to him. His troops existed to aid his conquering of the universe. Those he considered rivals or potential threats to his dominance he……….dealt with in cruel ways, more often than not. If you didn’t die, you were crushed by Megatron’s dominance in some form or another—all of them were very unpleasant.”

“_Adult things_,” Novablaze murmured, nodding at the Decepticon. He knew there were things he could not be told yet, because he was young. Relationships—both good and bad ones—were one of those. Because relationships involved things that the youngling simply wasn’t ready for yet.

“_Yes_. Very adult things,” Quake said, a wry smile curving his lips. “Novablaze, don’t feel that you need to rush your youth—you should cherish the fact that you are young and still rather innocent in the ways of the universe. The rest of us, as newmechs, we don’t get the chance to revel in that innocence for very long at all. There are plenty of things in this existence that you’ll understand one day, you don’t need to know all about them just yet.”

“Okay, Quake. I’ll try not to be in a hurry,” Novablaze responded, nodding. “_Ummm_. Could you stay in my room until I go into recharge? I think I can if someone’s here with me right now………” the mechling trailed off, softly.

“Sure. I’ll stay with you for a bit,” the Decepticon warrior answered, smiling at the youngling fondly.


	3. My Life Without You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Galvatron realizes...……..he's going to have to change the daily routine of his life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Brief note: ratings tag for this series changes with this chapter. There aren't many chapters that rate explicit at this point but...…...don't want someone stumbling on this chapter and see the series rated "general". Also, I've added character tags for the first 7 chapters (which I have done), so the character tags on this story just quadrupled. XD

_ Chapter Three: My Life Without You _

Galvatron’s first full day without his Prime and femmeling there on Chaar was strange. Not difficult so much as _just strange_. He’d caught himself starting to walk to the embassy, before he even realized it—until Cyclonus asked if there was something specific he wanted at the embassy. Galvatron had stopped and was about to argue his case of visiting his spawn and Prime, but then stopped himself before he’d actually said the words. He really _had _slipped into some kind of routine the past couple years or so, doing all these things without thinking of them.

“Cyclonus, let us go to the habitation area, I wish to address my Decepticons today,” the Emperor of the Decepticons responded, instead, letting his pedes change their path in that direction instead.

“**_Ah_**, _yes_, my lord………” Cyclonus responded, hesitation in his voice.

“_What _is it you wish to tell me now, Cyclonus?” Galvatron snapped, stopping and turning to his lieutenant and reaching over to grab one of his horns roughly.

“It is fine if you wish to do that, my lord, but it is midday and most will be at the entertainment district—either working or enjoying activities if they are not scheduled to work today,” the submissive purple-and-grey mech murmured, averting his optics respectfully.

Galvatron gave a deep groan and sigh. _His entire daily routine would need to be changed_. He was used to doing things in a particular pattern and now with just one small change in his life, he had to force himself to change a dozen other things in his life!

“Perhaps it is time to reevaluate my daily schedule, Cyclonus,” the powerful grey-and-purple mech responded, placing his servos on his hips as he stared off into the distance over his lieutenant’s shoulders. “We shall do this as we go on a patrol through our claimed planets in this system. We now have seven planets claimed as our own and thus we should evaluate a proper time of annexing the eighth world of the system soon enough.”

“Understood, my lord, please lead the way,” Cyclonus responded, bowing deeply. “My lord, allow me to suggest taking a tour of the energy conversion platform on the second planet?” He suggested as he shot off into the air after Galvatron.

“I will accept any suggestion as long as it shall keep me busy, Cyclonus,” Galvatron responded with an absent wave of his servo, the one with the nova cannon attached to it.

After they had left Chaar’s planetary pull, Galvatron and Cyclonus set a course to the second planet of the system, briefly circling the uninhabited and barren first world closest to the sun-star and using long-range sensors to evaluate it. When they approached the second planet, Cyclonus sent a transmission ahead to expect Lord Galvatron momentarily at the energy harvesting facility. With the brief announcement before they landed, a Decepticon with the designation of _Octopunch_—who was the chief of the base and in command of the crew here that manned the energy station—met them instantly.

“Welcome, my Emperor!” The Decepticon greeted, his voice rather neutral, but quite respectful. “Is there a way we may be of service today?” He inquired, curiously. His darker yellow-and-orange color scheme rather eye-catching amongst the cool greys of the facility and the general browns of the planet itself.

“I wish to add more things to my daily routine to supplant things that are no longer a part of it, so you may expect me to visit this facility more consistently,” Galvatron responded, nodding curtly at the Decepticon. “The Decepticon Empire respects your service in maintaining this facility, which provides us all with plenty of Energon to sustain us,” he added, without being prompted by Cyclonus to say something of a “_thank you_” to the workers.

“We do owe the placement and plans of the facility to the Autobots, so the ceasefire accords have been infinitely beneficial to the empire when it come to things like this,” Octopunch responded with a winning smile. “Please allow me to give you a tour, my lord!” He added, nodding respectfully.

Galvatron accepted the tour with a polite nod of his head, following the Decepticon administrator of the facility around, Cyclonus a few steps behind him. He listened carefully to whatever Octopunch was explaining, though he only understood perhaps about half of the terms and descriptions. Galvatron would occasionally ask a question or two, simply to prove he was paying attention to the tour and the descriptions of things (even if he didn’t understand them).

“I appreciate the tour, please continue providing service to the Decepticon Empire as excellently as you have already,” Galvatron said as they returned to the main entrance of the base and got ready to leave.

“Thank you for coming to visit us, Lord Galvatron,” Octopunch responded, nodding politely at his leader, as he gave a dip of his shoulders.

Galvatron and Cyclonus flew off, circling the other planets in the system. Landing for brief tours on the fifth and sixth planets, as well, which had small maintenance and security bases upon them. All the Decepticons in the facilities seemed happy, well-adjusted and helpful. It had been almost ten years since he and Rodimus Prime had become lovers and forged the ceasefire accords—in a mere decade, the Decepticon Empire had flourished _so much more_ than it had ever done so before. 

Even as others told him, during the time of Megatron, there had never been this much stability in the empire. There were no more squabbles over Energon, which was a devastating portion of Decepticon in-fighting for many millennia.

“Cyclonus, where have the Constructicons been working on my special project—the gift for my Prime?” Galvatron asked as they hovered in the upper atmosphere of the more recently annexed seventh planet and eyed the base that was currently under construction there.

“It should be about thirty kilometers west of the base,” Cyclonus responded.

The two of them changed direction and went to the area.

“It looks glorious already, Cyclonus,” Galvatron chuckled, gazing down at the building project on the surface. “Do you feel that they shall finish it in the next few months, so that I may present it to my Prime on the anniversary of the ceasefire accords?” He inquired, turning his gaze to his loyal lieutenant and lover.

Cyclonus fidgeted a little bit, jealousy flowing around a little inside of him.

“Why, Cyclonus—are you _slightly jealous_?” Galvatron chortled, seeing the look on the mech’s faceplate clearly, even in the driving rains in the skies where they were hovering. The powerful Leader of the Decepticons reached over and grabbed Cyclonus’ chin with just the right amount of roughness that the slightly smaller mech liked. “You know that you need not be, you know that in your Spark. This silly jealousy that you and my Prime have towards one another is simply ridiculous,” Galvatron purred, his lips practically brushing Cyclonus’ lips. “I would love to have _the both of you_ in my berth together—that would be a supernova of pleasure, of that I am certain,” he chuckled, kissing his lieutenant and lover heatedly, swiping his glossa around roughly in Cyclonus’ mouth.

Cyclonus moaned and pushed his frame closer to Galvatron’s.

“So eager, my dear Cyclonus—you would think that I have not fragged you in months,” the Emperor of the Decepticons chortled softly. He flew them up higher into the atmosphere, breaking through and hovering in the emptiness of space above the seventh planet. Sounds were absorbed and muted in the vacuum of space and the cold did nothing to abate the heat building inside of Cyclonus. **[I always give you plenty of attention, my dear Cyclonus—you need never be jealous of my Prime,]** he sent via communique rather than by voice, as he turned Cyclonus around and rubbed a servo over the mech’s groinplating to signal to his lieutenant to open up for him.

**[I know this, my lord, but still……….]** Cyclonus responded, a sound of a sigh in his response communique. His interface array slid open and his spike pressurized, even as his valve tightened gently with anticipation of being fragged by his Emperor.

**[You are just as possessive as he is. He wishes he could be my “_only one_” and I feel that this is something that you wish, as well,]** Galvatron sent, biting hard at the back of Cyclonus’ neck cabling and grabbing the mech’s hips so he could easily slide his spike against his lieutenant’s valve lips in a teasing motion. **[I am afraid that you _must_ share me with him, dear Cyclonus. You must accept that. I’ve claimed him and he is mine—just as you are mine.]**

**[Yes, my lord. I know,]** Cyclonus responded, rocking his hips a little to savor the ridges of Galvatron’s thick black spike against the sensitive lips of his valve. **[Do you feel that he will try to find a lover while he is away from you, my lord?]** He asked, reaching a servo back and holding Galvatron’s face against his neck with longing and need.

**[I do wish he would, honestly. But it is difficult to tell with him. If he does, it will not be for a while, his silly sense of monogamy will drive him to “_remain pure_”, unfortunately,]** Galvatron sighed in his communique. He adjusted the angle of his hips and thrust hard into Cyclonus as he dug his fangs into sensitive neck cabling.

Cyclonus’ scream and moan of pleasure was muted in the vacuum of space, but Galvatron heard it and felt it just as vividly as if they were in his berth enjoying hours of pleasure. Galvatron always found it strange at how much alike, yet how very different, both Cyclonus and Rodimus Prime (or even in his frame as Hot Rod) were from each other. Their valves got wet and tightened just the same around his spike. They both cried and mewled with pleasure as Galvatron fragged them. It was simply so very silly that the two of them kept their distance and their jealousy of one another as they did. They were so much alike!

“Let us return home, Cyclonus,” Galvatron said as he let go of his lieutenant and closed himself up politely. “I will bathe and then take some light recharge before I decide what it is I wish to do next today. You shall be free to do as you wish until I need you once again.”

“Understood, my lord,” Cyclonus responded as the two of them returned to Chaar.

Galvatron went to the palace and enjoyed about an hour in the bath, relaxing and thinking of what to do next. His thoughts drifted and he wondered what Rodimus Prime and Stormbreaker were doing right now. His silly little Prime really _would_ deny himself any sort of pleasure for a while. As he was taking care of a little femmeling, he wouldn’t even feel he could break away to pleasure himself, he had this silly desire to deny himself anything so long as he was caring for others! What a silly little fool he was! But he was a silly little fool who belonged to Galvatron and that made everything much more acceptable.

The Emperor of the Decepticons sighed and got himself dried off, walking into his berthroom. As he walked around the berth to pull the curtains aside and climb into the large and comfortably padded berth, with its half-dozen blankets, he looked at the little table beside the bed.

The old, and worn plush cat sat there on the table, where he’d placed it the other day—after his two treasured ones had left Chaar. Galvatron gave a light chuckle and a soft smile, he reached out and gave the top of the plush animal a light pat, then he climbed into his berth and went into a light recharge.


	4. That Strange Relationship and What We Share

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ultra Magnus learns something he...……...probably really didn't want to know about Rodimus Prime and Galvatron's relationship. He's really not sure how to feel about it at all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ultra Magnus in every TF universe seems to suffer terribly, because he's such a nice guy. *wry chuckle*

_ Chapter Four: That Strange Relationship and What We Share _

Stormbreaker made a little “_ooooooh_” sound as she waited in Ultra Magnus’ arms and watched her carrier transform into his alt mode. Rodimus Prime slid the top-hatch window back on his camper-trailer’s form.

“All right, Magnus—get the little bratling secured and seatbelted in,” Rodimus chuckled, the dash panel flaring with lights as he spoke through a different set of speakers in his alt mode. Ultra Magnus knelt down and placed Stormbreaker in the driver’s side front seat of his leader’s alt mode, then he reached around for the lap belt and fastened it securely across the femmeling’s midsection. “Alright, Storm, now be good while I’m driving—it’s safer for you to stay seated while I’m moving.”

Ultra Magnus chuckled as Rodimus slid the top-hatch back down and heard Stormbreaker’s little “_ooooh_” sound again. Then the Autobots’ Second-in-Command stepped back a few feet and transformed into his own alt mode. The two Autobots revved up their engines a little and started driving along old, worn roads out from Iacon. Stormbreaker looked up through the top-hatch window and saw the stars sparkling above them, making more “_ooooh_” sounds.

It really was a new experience for her, actually seeing her carrier transform into his alt mode, and driving along inside of his alt mode’s frame. She hadn’t really looked around much on Cybertron since they got here this morning, but the twinkling stars were bright and vivid and kept her attention—so she didn’t do any moving or squirming as Rodimus drove along beside Ultra Magnus.

“The plan was to drive along and talk for a while before going to Kesia, Magnus—is there something bothering you?” Rodimus Prime asked, almost wanting to tease his Second by swerving a little close.

“_No_. Not really, it’s just that this all really did come as something as a surprise to me,” Magnus responded, a soft sigh in the tone of his voice. “But………..clearly it _wasn’t _a surprise to you or to Galvatron and Optimus seemed calm about it. I should’ve expected something weird like this, because it’s _always_ a whirlwind around you.”

“There were times when I really wanted to tell you everything, Magnus. A part of me was actually a little scared of telling you, because…………..I dunno, I thought maybe you might think it was a wicked plan to dispose of Optimus and it’s _nothing like that_,” the flame-colored mech said with a bit of worry and concern in his voice. “Arrowshot—in the Matrix—he told me that this would happen, just no real idea of when…………I’m just really glad that Optimus didn’t have to die again for this to happen.”

“I’m glad for that, too. Optimus is one of my very few friends, we came out of Vector Sigma’s chamber together,” the red-white-blue mech said, softly.

“I’m your friend, too, Magnus. Even though we’re nowhere near the same age or anything,” Rodimus said, his tone even more worried.

“_Fweeeeennnnndsss_!!!” Stormbreaker said, loudly.

“And she is, too,” the flame-colored mech chuckled. “I mean. Look, I’ve always wanted to tell you this, but _you’re_ the reason I joined the Autobots,” he added. Rodimus Prime began to tell Ultra Magnus the same story he told Optimus Prime back on Athenia not-too-long-ago. How he came out of Vector Sigma’s chamber alone and didn’t know or understand what anything was—how he wandered Cybertron alone and watched the war from the shadows. Then about how he saw Ultra Magnus fighting in his old armour—and how he broke it apart to protect his comrades when the armour was too damaged to keep fighting in. “A lot of the way I act is because………..I really wanted to be _more like you_, Magnus. I just got lost along the way, because I was alone and isolated and nobody wanted me.”

“Except Galvatron,” Ultra Magnus said with a grunt of annoyance.

“Come on, Magnus—_not you, too_!” Rodimus complained, trying to keep his field from being upset or anything, especially with Stormbreaker inside of him right now.

“Rodimus, Galvatron always………..**_always_**……..throws it in my faceplate every time we speak, at how we Autobots hurt you, frankly I am tired of hearing him say it, true or not. I _know_ it’s true, so, I don’t need to hear it over-and-over again,” the Autobot soldier complained in a tone of voice that Rodimus had never heard from Ultra Magnus before.

The flame-colored mech laughed. At which point the red-white-blue mech got even more cranky in tone.

“I’m sorry, but………it’s just how Galvatron is. He really latches onto things and seriously never lets them go,” Rodimus said, his tone warm and soothing, as he tried to bump his field into Magnus’ to let him know it was all okay.

“_Sirrrrrreee_!!!” Stormbreaker squealed happily, her tiny servos batting the edges of Rodimus’ seating area that she was buckled into.

“Galvatron’s not doing it actually to piss you off, Magnus. It’s just something he refuses to let go on, but I promise—it’ll fade from his consciousness as long as I keep going on this path of better self-confidence and all,” Rodimus said with kindness in the tone of his voice. “I _know_ where I’m going this time, Magnus—everything that I told you I wanted to accomplish is slowly coming together. I **_need_** to be Autobot Leader to take care of some of it. Like getting the Decepticons into the Galactic Alliance—they need a patron to get in, just like Earth did. If _we’re_ their patron, it works even more in our favor, you know how the Alliance feels about patronage.”

“You don’t think Optimus Prime would want to patron the Decepticons’ entry into the Galactic Alliance?” Magnus asked, seriously.

“I don’t think it’s _that_, specifically. I don’t think Optimus—or most of the Autobots really—understand the Decepticons the way **_I_** do. I’m not sure the _Autobots_ even understand the Autobots the way I do!” Rodimus Prime laughed softly. “The Matrix has shown me a lot of things. And there are still more things yet to be discovered. The Matrix needs a _translator_ and an _adventurer_ for that—the Matrix needs a bearer willing to reach beyond Cybertron for our future to be fully realized.”

“I see,” the Autobots’ Second murmured. There was a little bit of silence for a few moments and Stormbreaker babbled curiously. “So……….you saw me without my armour? There aren’t many people around anymore who can say that,” he said, chuckling softly. “I’d really rather you not mention that I’m wearing expanded armour, if you would, please.”

“Ah-ha-ha…..of course not, Magnus—_I totally get it_!” Rodimus laughed warmly.

“I’m serious. Not even Galvatron,” Ultra Magnus responded.

“_Weeeeeeeeeellllllllll_……..I can promise not to tell him, but he may already know that, as familiar with my systems as he is,” the flame-colored mech chuckled, warmth and good humour in the tone of his voice.

Ultra Magnus came to a very literal _screeching halt_.

Rodimus coasted to a much slower stop, since he had his femmeling sitting in the driver’s seat inside of him.

“You have seriously **_not_** data-interfaced with that……….._that mech_, have you?!” The usually calm older soldier snapped.

“Magnus, **_uh_**, _yeah_………..I mean…………” the flame-colored mech trailed off. **[Magnus, I wanted him to kill me—it didn’t matter what he saw in me, I was provoking him to kill me the whole time, that first time,]** he sent via communique, because those definitely weren’t things he wanted Stormbreaker to hear, even though she probably wouldn’t understand most of the words.

**[That means he knows _everything_—everything within you. Hot Rod—_Rodimus Prime_—how could you do that?!]** Ultra Magnus sent, his engine revving with frustration. And he didn’t even bother to state the other part of what data-interfacing did—granting someone else control over your systems!

And for the very first time, Rodimus felt a storm of emotions in this particular mech’s tightly held EM field. Ultra Magnus had always been very even with his emotions and held his field tightly to him. The young Prime didn’t think he’d ever felt so many wild emotions around this cool, older mech ever before. Ultra Magnus really did worry about him, it was very warm and sweet in its own way.

“_Well_, despite that, Magnus—it also means I know everything about Galvatron, too,” Rodimus chuckled softly. “Come on, let’s get on to Kesia. I need to _properly_ introduce myself to the Decepticons there. Right, Stormbreaker?” 

“_Yes! Decepticons!_” The femmeling cried excitedly. “Sire’s……_sire’s_……..”

“_Citizens_. They’re citizens of the Decepticon Empire,” Rodimus responded with a warm chuckle.

“_City-zeeeenns_,” Stormbreaker repeated, nodding her head in understanding.

Ultra Magnus incycled a deep breath and started his engines back up. A part of him worried about what it meant that the young, flame-colored mech was so desperate for someone to choose him, that he gave away _everything_ that was in his program in order to do so. And……….._yet_…………the partnership that Galvatron and Rodimus Prime had forged seemed very solid—Galvatron respected the flame-colored mech very thoroughly and Rodimus Prime trusted the dangerous Leader of the Decepticons. He followed along behind in the flame-colored mech’s path, sudden strange emotions simmering deep inside of him.


	5. A Gift Given Is Always Treasured

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Galvatron makes good on his promise of giving Rodimus Prime a "parting gift", even if it's a few months after their parting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a pretty key chapter for the new series. :)
> 
> While some may think, oh, like IDW's universe--well, it's more or less closer to "Transformers: SuperLink" (Energon) with Rodimus going off into space with a ship. That Rodimus went into space to spread a message of peace and this Rodimus Prime is going to have a similar kind of set of voyages.
> 
> But it's not to say we won't have a few dramatic and quirky moments like the Lost Light may have had. XD

_ Chapter Five: A Gift Given Is Always Treasured _

Galvatron always did almost everything on sheer whim, so having his flagship show up on Cybertron with only a mere short communique to announce that his flagship was now landing wasn’t actually all that much of a surprise. It was a good thing everyone recognized the massive inky-violet ship, with silver running lines and décor upon it, or else the defense tower might have had guns firing into the ship as soon as the sensors picked it up right outside of Cybertron’s upper atmosphere.

Rodimus Prime was already sprinting towards the landing pad as soon as the entryway door slid open and a walkway whipped out to the surface of the landing area. He leaped into Galvatron’s arms and kissed his lover longingly and passionately. Galvatron held him firmly off the ground a few feet, returning the vibrant kiss with enthusiasm, then chuckled as he set the flame-colored mech down in front of him.

“Such an _enthusiastic_ greeting, my Prime—do you miss me already? It has merely been a few months,” the grey-and-purple mech chortled, walking down the ramp with his Autobot lover, a servo cupping the younger mech’s aft possessively.

“_Of course! _ But what brings you to Cybertron all out of the blue like this?” Rodimus Prime asked, curiously as they walked towards where Slipstream was standing, holding onto a squirming Stormbreaker.

“A _very special_ thing, but first…………I do believe my spawn wishes my attention,” Galvatron laughed fondly, reaching over and plucking the mewling femmeling out of the Decepticon femme’s arms and placing her in the familiar crook of his arm. She burrowed against her sire’s chestplate happily, purring and mewling loud enough to be heard by all around them.

They all began to walk towards Rodimus’ office in the Administration Building in Iacon. Ultra Magnus frowned as he saw Galvatron and the whole entourage come into the building and immediately went straight back to his own office without any sort of greeting towards anyone.

“You would think that I have offended Ultra Magnus somehow,” Galvatron grunted.

“He’s been acting a bit edgy the last few months, but then there are a lot of changes happening and he’s not quite so used to it all, yet,” the flame-colored mech sighed. “It’ll take him a while to adjust, but he’ll be fine, eventually.”

The young Prime led Galvatron to his own office and the Decepticon Leader turned to Scourge, who was with him today, and said to wait outside. The commander of the Sweeps dipped his shoulders and stood politely and stoically outside of the office door with Slipstream.

“How are your plans progressing, my Prime?” Galvatron inquired, sitting down in a chair and placed Stormbreaker on the floor next to him. She mewled for more attention and he patted her helm fondly and told her to go play while he talked to her carrier. She pouted rather cutely, but toddled off to find her toys in the corner of the room and played with them, while she’d keep looking over at Galvatron every so often—hoping her sire would change his mind about cuddling her some more.

“Slow going, there’s a lot of technical details to work out before I start travelling about,” Rodimus sighed softly, sitting down properly on his own side of the desk. “I can’t compromise Sky Lynx’s time for everything, so we’re looking to see if there’s an old ship that can be upgraded and retrofitted for what I want to do.”

“_Mmmmm_,” Galvatron murmured, nodding his head and smiling at the flame-colored mech. He was bright and brilliant and this was **_everything_** that Rodimus Prime should truly be. “My Prime, do you know what day this is?” He inquired, holding a servo out and examining it, pretending to look bored.

Rodimus chuckled, clearly Galvatron’s play-acting was _just that_. He knew his lover was serious and honest and he had something he truly wanted to reveal **_spectacularly_**—he was merely waiting for the proper attention so that he might do so. He folded his servos together under his chin and gazed at the Decepticon Leader with a big smile and bright, blue-colored optics.

“What day is it, because I have a calendar on my desk and it clearly doesn’t tell me what day I should know that it is?” The flame-colored mech chuckled, a light teasing tone in his voice.

“_Oh, my Prime! _ And **_you_** are the type who should know these things,” Galvatron chortled. “It is the tenth anniversary of the ceasefire accords. Ten years ago, you and I signed the accords and sparkbonded.”

Rodimus Prime’s mouth opened into a little “**_o_**” of surprise. He glanced at the calendar on his computer’s desktop and found that Galvatron was right. Exactly ten years ago today, the two of them sparkbonded for the first time and signed the ceasefire accords. Then the young Autobot Leader smiled and dipped his head, a swirl of emotions inside of him and rippling along the edges of his EM field. The fact that the Decepticon Leader took the time to notice the day and everything—that was really, so very precious.

“Ten years of stability and some sort of peace,” Rodimus murmured. “Ten years that you and I have been together,” he added, smiling over at Galvatron with warmth and love.

“And for that, I have _a gift_ for you. Remember that I informed you I was having a special gift crafted? Clearly you never made the connection what my gift was for,” the purple-and-grey mech said, seriously, grinning at his lover with excitement. “However, I could **_not_** bring it with me—so, I must request a day of your time to come to Chaar. I promise you that it _shall_ be worth it. And please bring a few of your favorite Autobots with you—I wish for them to witness how I cherish you and how I respect the accords that we forged, along with our spawn.”

“Okay, let me go and talk to a few people. Why don’t you play with Stormbreaker—she _really_ wants more attention from you right now…..? I’ll be back in a little bit,” Rodimus Prime said, getting up and leaving the office.

He was gone for about thirty minutes, during which time Stormbreaker was overjoyed that **_all _**of her sire’s attention was focused solely on her. Rodimus eventually came back and chuckled when he saw Galvatron helping their femmeling to build something with her blocks (the blocks which had once belonged to Novablaze). Ten years…………and it had changed them _both_ for the better, that much was clear.

“I’m going to take about five Autobots with me, plus Storm. I think she’d like to see Nova for a little bit,” Rodimus said, squatting down and adding a few blocks to the wobbly building before the two. “If I’m with you, I don’t need Sixshot trailing me—so, I told Slipstream that the two of them could remain on Cybertron and have some time off for a little bit.”

“_Excellent_, then we should go now!” Galvatron chuckled, rising to his pedes and picking up his femmeling.

They went back to Galvatron’s flagship and the trip to Chaar was fairly short with its warp-hop system. Rodimus Prime had brought along Ultra Magnus, Kup, Blurr, Springer and Arcee. As the flagship landed, that was when the flame-colored mech saw another large starship on the landing platform of Chaar.

“Oh, do you have guests today from somewhere? Have you opened up the entertainment district to other species?” The young Prime asked, pointing to the elegantly designed ship, with its dark red color scheme and runner lines of yellow and orange décor on it as everyone exited Galvatron’s flagship.

“_That_, my Prime, is **_yours_**,” Galvatron responded, yanking the flame-colored mech close and grabbed his aft possessively. “**_That_**_ is my gift to you_.”

That was when the other Autobots looked at the elegant starship in absolute awe.

“You’re…………._you’re kidding_?!” Rodimus Prime gasped, pulling free of Galvatron’s possessive hug and dashing up to the dark red starship. He looked back at Galvatron and pointed up at the ship. “_This? This thing **right here**? **This thing is mine**???_” The flame-colored mech cried, staring at his lover excitedly.

Galvatron nodded and smiled, at which point Rodimus Prime started bawling happily. The Decepticon Leader groaned and walked over to his younger lover and hugged him, complaining that this honestly wasn’t anything to cry about. He clearly still didn’t understand what happy tears were, even after all these years.

“I know what you plan to do and I felt you would need a _quality ship_ with which to do so,” Galvatron said, firmly. “As soon as you and I had discussed things that time back, I felt this would be something you would **_need_**. I had the Constructicons and the Autobot Construction Team evaluate my own flagship—and while they could not completely duplicate the technology that Unicron had created it with, they adapted as much as they could. So, the quality is high and shall suit your needs,” he said, lightly patting the sunbright yellow spoiler as the mech cried on his shoulder pillars.

“The guy knows how to make an impression,” Springer said with a low whistle of awe.

“Definitely knew what the lad needed,” Kup added, a light chuckle in his voice.

Ultra Magnus gave a grunt and nodded at the Autobots around him. How could you ever compete with something like _that_? Every time that Ultra Magnus was certain Galvatron wasn’t worth Rodimus’ time—the Decepticon Leader would do something grand and really rather philanthropic like **_this_** and it showed the Autobots’ Second-in-Command that Galvatron truly cherished the young Autobot, it was “_love_” in the only way that Galvatron knew how to express it. Magnus couldn’t fault Galvatron for any of this, he really did make the young Autobot Leader a far better mech than he had been.

“I shall give you a tour, my Prime—your Autobots may do as they wish. Perhaps they shall be so gracious as to visit my entertainment district or the Autobot Embassy,” Galvatron said, gazing at the five Autobots who had come with Rodimus Prime.

It was probably his most polite way of saying “_get lost, we are going to go frag on the ship_”.

“Arcee, make sure that Storm gets to see Nova, okay? They can play for a bit while I get the _premium tour_,” Rodimus managed to say, rubbing the back of a servo over his optics and sniffling softly. He chuckled and smiled over at them, half-oblivious to Stormbreaker’s mewling and grabby-hands.

The Autobots turned about and walked off, guided by Scourge to the destinations of their choices. Galvatron and Rodimus walked up the ramp of the new starship. Galvatron pointed out that much of the interior layout was like his own flagship. There were twenty sets of quarters, not all needed to be used and could be adapted to offices or things like that. There was one large conference room between the habitation area and the bridge—you would have to walk through the conference room to reach the bridge. There was a small medi-bay and a small commissary, as well. The ship was long in length, with sweeping side-wings, but not quite as pointy as Galvatron’s flagship—clearly there were Autobot aesthetics at work in the exterior design of the starship.

“Oh, yes—off from the bridge are where the _Captain’s Quarters_ have been placed—that way you may go directly to the bridge without traversing the conference center as ship’s crew would have to do,” Galvatron said as they walked around the bridge area and Rodimus looked at the various stations with awe and excitement. “Now, I have **_not_** given you a berthroom as luxurious or glamourous as the one that you have given me, but it shall be quite comfortable enough for you,” he added as he pressed the code into the door panel and the door slid open.

Lights came on instantly and Rodimus Prime had to laugh at what Galvatron considered “_simple_” in comparison to his own berth in the palace on Chaar. There was no carpet, but the walls were painted an appealing deep blue, which made the inlaid silver floor panels look _perfect_—the floor panels had carving in them, old Cybertronian glyphs that Rodimus tried to read a few and started to get confused by all the words. There was a proper table to sit at for small amounts of work or having fuel, it had two chairs beside it. There was one plush seating chair with an end table beside it. In one of the corners of the room, there was clearly a brand-new crib, which looked as if it could be converted to a youth berth once Stormbreaker had grown a little. And the berth meant for Rodimus to sleep in………..

Well, it _wasn’t _as ridiculously luxuriant as Galvatron’s own berth, which Rodimus had built for him many years back. But it wasn’t merely a simple, usable berth as the young, flame-colored mech had always been used to. It had very thick mattress padding on it, as opposed to the firm metal berths with traditional recharge padding on it……………and had extremely high-quality matching berthsheets and blankets on it. Plus about four plush pillows (_come on, Galvatron—that was way too many for a single berth!_), with the blankets only having a mere three layers of soft, thick fuzziness. The colors were all varying shades of dark red and dark blue together.

“Galvatron, **_really_**…………this is like _so much_……..” Rodimus said with a soft laugh, even though his EM field was pulsing with happiness and joy.

“My treasures deserve to have such luxury, I believe,” Galvatron responded with a light pouting tone in his voice. He reached out and grabbed Rodimus by the spoiler and threw him onto the berth. “Let us break in this berth _properly_, shall we?” The Decepticon Leader chuckled, grinning down at his Autobot lover.

“Sounds like a plan, my lord,” Rodimus purred, stretching luxuriously on the berth, his gaze burning bright and inviting his lover to come take care of him now.

“_Ah_, but first………..a good ship deserves a good name, does it not?” Galvatron said, leaning down and his servo sliding down to caress the flame-colored mech’s groinplating.

“Says the guy who’s _never_ named his own flagship,” Rodimus chuckled, reaching up to kiss his lover’s chin teasingly.

“It did not have one in the past. I did _not need_ it to have one—or perhaps deep within my program, I have simply awaited the perfect time to name it,” Galvatron murmured, leaning down and brushing his lips over the younger mech’s. “I have chosen to name my flagship the _Novastorm_, now. Because the name is quite appropriate and suits my flagship.”

A gentle and wonderful warmth flowed through Rodimus Prime. Galvatron named his flagship _after their children_—how much more beautiful could that be?

“You had _better_ frag me into oblivion, Galvatron, because you are honestly the _sexiest mech_ in the entire fragging universe,” the flame-colored mech chuckled, reaching his arms up and grabbing Galvatron’s shoulder pillars firmly.

“_I shall_. However, I wish for your ship to have a name,” the Decepticon Leader responded, grinning down at the mech beneath him. “I shall tease and taunt, but I shall **_not_** give you what you wish until I hear you name the gift I have given to you,” he added, a couple of his fingers sliding into Rodimus Prime’s wet valve after the array panels slid open. His thumb nudged against the swollen anterior node tauntingly, making the flame-colored mech moan deeply.

Rodimus already knew what the ship should be named—it, too, would be very appropriate to what purpose the ship would serve. An honor to the one who showed him the way back to Galvatron’s arms, once—an homage to the one who had helped guide him from deep within the Matrix.

“This ship’s name is the _Arrowshot_,” Rodimus Prime said, confidence echoing in his voice as he gazed into his powerful lover’s optics unwaveringly.

“**_Perfect_**,” Galvatron purred, respecting the name fully. “Now, let us enjoy one another’s company for a few hours, my precious Prime!” He added, shifting his frame and plunging his spike deep into his lover’s valve.

They clutched at one another, wrestling with one another and their desires, climbing higher to peaks of pleasure—until the explosion between them was a supernova of satisfaction for them both.


	6. A Gentleman's Agreement

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kicker really pesters Rodimus…………..a whole lot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, nods to "Transformers: SuperLink" (Energon) here, with Kicker kind of officially joining the "main cast"--instead of being a mere "guest star". :)
> 
> "Cosmic Bug Rancher" is a [fictional] cult phenomenon that is like a mash-up of Pokémon, Slime Rancher and Harvest Moon. XD Also, a nod to the original fact that Pokémon is based upon bug-collecting and how in a lot of Japanese things, little boys were often portrayed as wanting to collect big bugs like Horned Atlases and Giant Stags. :)

_ Chapter Six: A Gentleman’s Agreement _

“_Rodimus Prime! **Rodimus! Come on!** I know you can hear me down here!_” A young voice cried with annoyance. 

All of the sudden, a small human kick struck the ankle-portion of the young Prime’s pede.

“_Jeeze, **seriously**_—is this why your father named you _‘Kicker’_?” Rodimus groaned, squatting down to look at the little boy. It wasn’t that it hurt whatsoever, it probably hurt the boy to kick **_him_**, actually—he just had no idea why the human child was following him about and begging for his attention far more than either of his own children ever had! “What is it, Kicker? I have a meeting with Spike and some UN delegates from Earth to get to………” he trailed off, reaching down a servo and patting the child lightly with a couple of his fingers on the top of his head.

“Hey, you’re going to go off travelling in the universe, right? You’re gonna go to other planets and stuff, far away?” Kicker asked, staring up into Rodimus Prime’s faceplate.

“Well, it’s _not_ for fun, Kicker—I have things that I want to do, to make the universe more peaceful and show the planets in the Galactic Alliance that they have nothing to fear from our kind,” the young, flame-colored mech said softly.

“Take **_me_**, too! I wanna see the universe!” Kicker cried, clenching his hands into fists and grinning up at Rodimus excitedly, his hair flickering a little shining gold and floating about his head.

_‘He really has a lot of spirit,’_ the young Autobot Prime thought, smiling down at the boy. “You’re still pretty young, Kicker, and I’m not sure your parents would want you hopping around the universe with a bunch of giant robots,” he said, putting kindness in his voice and empathy in his EM field, which he knew the little boy could feel.

“_Awwww, come on!_ I’m tough and I’m smart!” Kicker complained, frowning as he kicked the floor with his feet.

“Let me think about it, okay? I really **_do_** need to get to this meeting, Kicker—it’s _very_ important,” Rodimus Prime answered, rising back up to standing.

“_Ooooohhhhkaaaaayyyy_,” the boy grumbled, shoving his hands in the pockets of his hoodie and stomped off. He muttered to himself as he went to the entertainment lounge and heard Daniel’s familiar voice reading a story to Sally and Stormbreaker. Kicker went and climbed up onto the couch to sit beside his mother and Amber. “Is it another princess story?” He asked, softly, looking at the two older women.

“Of course,” Amber chuckled, rubbing her stomach, which was getting larger as her pregnancy progressed. “It’s really quite cute that Stormbreaker enjoys the princess stories so much, I’m sure there’s not much of _that stuff_ where she came from.”

Daniel was sitting down on the floor, there was a thick and soft sleep mat laid out and Sally was laying down on it, watching Daniel tell a story with puppets. Stormbreaker was sitting up, a servo in her mouth and just watching the visual storytelling with awe. It was clear that Daniel Witwicky was going to become a wonderful father when Amber’s current pregnancy finally gave him children of his own.

“_Cool_. Hey, so you’re having twins?” Kicker asked, placing his hand lightly on Amber’s bulging tummy. “_Awww_, I can feel ‘em moving. _That’s so cool!_” He said softly, in awe.

Miranda Jones reached over and ruffled her son’s hair fondly. She handed him a tablet and he sat back to play a couple of games while Daniel kept telling stories to the two girls—the human one and the Cybertronian one—until they both finally laid down and fell asleep on the sleep mat.

After Sally and Stormbreaker fell asleep, Daniel got up and put some small blankets over the both of them, dumped the puppets into a box and then walked over to the couch, squishing in to sit next to his pregnant wife. 

“Isn’t _this_ all cozy?” The young husband chuckled, wrapping an arm about Amber’s shoulders. “What’cha playing, Kicker?”

“_‘Cosmic Bug Rancher’_,” the boy answered, distractedly. “I’m trying to harvest some silver cinnamon so that I can evolve my Solar Moth into its _ultimate form_.” Kicker concentrated fully on the tablet’s screen, the tip of his tongue sticking out of the corner of his mouth as he concentrated. “_Gah!_ Silver cinnamon is **_so hard_** to harvest………the game’s _cheating_!” He pouted softly, saving the game and then quitting it and handing the tablet back to his mom.

“I’m sure you’ll get it eventually,” Daniel laughed warmly, reaching past his wife to tousle Kicker’s head fondly. “How’s Rodimus?” He asked.

“_Awww_, he was in a hurry to get to his meeting, so I didn’t get to do more than say _‘hi’_!” Kicker sighed, wondering if the Autobot Leader would keep his promise to come back and talk to him some more after the meeting was over.

“That’s my big bro—he really does take these peace and cooperation things seriously,” Daniel responded as he rested a hand gently on his wife’s stomach. “What is it you want to talk to him about so much?” The older human male asked, smiling over at Kicker.

“I wanna go with him, on his quest out in the universe!” Kicker said excitedly.

Daniel laughed softly, shaking his head as he smiled warmly at the boy.

“Hey, _don’t laugh_! I _really _do!” The young boy snapped, frowning and pouting.

“I imagine that you really do, but it’s _not_ that easy and you’re pretty young still,” Daniel responded, seriously.

“Yeah, but you had lots of adventures with the Autobots when you were _my age_,” Kicker muttered, crossing his arms with frustration.

“_Yeah_……..and boy, was I ever in _serious danger_ half the time,” the young man who grew up with the Autobots sighed. “Kicker, _really_…….it’s cool that you want to, but maybe waiting until you’re older might be better. Rodimus would _never_ forgive himself if you got hurt, you know!”

“I _won’t_ get hurt! Dad can give me an exo-suit and I’ll be fine,” Kicker said, arguing his point.

Just then the door slid open and Rodimus Prime came in. “_Ah_, everyone’s crowded in here, I see,” he chuckled. He knelt beside the sleep mat and brushed a couple fingers over Stormbreaker’s helm, she purred lightly in her recharge cycle.

“_Well? _ Did you think about it, Rodimus? _Can_ I go with you?” Kicker asked, excitedly, hopping off the couch and walking over to look up into the young Autobot Leader’s faceplate. His brown hair flickered golden and floated around his head.

Rodimus Prime crossed his legs and sat down on the floor, looking down at the young human boy. He rested his elbows on his knee-joints and leaned forwards.

“How’s your head?” He asked, curiously, reaching over to rub the boy’s head lightly with a finger.

“_Meh_, aches a bit, but it _always_ does when I’m around you guys,” Kicker answered. “Why? You’re not going to use _that_ as an excuse why I can’t come with you, are you?!” He pouted, frowning deeply.

“I’m going to _partly _use it as an excuse why you can’t come with me, _right now_,” Rodimus Prime said, firmly. “I asked your father and we came to **_this_** agreement……….**_if _**you train hard to be able to defend yourself, like Daniel did as he got older—do martial arts and stuff. **_If _**you also work hard to hold up around Cybertronians and their EM fields without being in ache and pain. And also, **_if_** you allow your father to build you a custom exo-suit with Spike’s help. Then _and only then_ we’ll talk again, however, my own particular request is that you must be a _legal adult_ among Earth human standards.”

“_But………..but that’s **not fair**! That’s too far away!_” Kicker cried, his small EM field flaring out with disappointment and upset.

Rodimus gently placed his evenly-emotioned field against the little boy’s, firm and supportive. “Kicker, among my kind……..five to ten years is _nothing_,” the Autobot Leader chuckled. “I spent ten years alone, wandering Cybertron before I chose to become an Autobot. They may have felt long while I was living them, but I look back and they’re simply like nothing. I’m asking you not just to grow up, _but to grow strong_,” he said, gently placing the tip of a finger beneath Kicker’s small, fleshy chin and rubbing lightly. “And _then_, when you’re strong and healthy and at the peak of a young human’s life—then we’ll talk again about this and if you still want to travel with me amongst the planets of the Galactic Alliance, I’ll happily welcome you on my crew,” the young, flame-colored mech said with warmth in his voice, smiling down at the little boy.

“You _promise_, Rodimus? I mean, you _really and truly promise_ that you’ll let me go with you in like five years or so?” Kicker asked, hopefulness flooding through his small EM field.

“Well, sixteen is cutting it close, I’d _prefer_ waiting until you’re properly eighteen,” Rodimus said with a light sigh. “But how about **_this_**, then? When you’re sixteen, I’ll take a look at how you’re growing and how you progress with martial arts and your health. We’ll see how the custom exo-suit fares. And then I’ll take you on a special two or three week _‘internship’_ to see how you react with those in the Galactic Alliance and my own ship crew.”

“_Really_, Rodimus? You _promise_?” Kicker said, excitedly, bouncing on his small feet with his excitement. His small EM field bounced against Rodimus’ own field with joy. “_You really promise?_”

“I promise,” Rodimus Prime said, smiling at the little boy and patting his head fondly with a couple of fingers.


	7. Gods Among Mortals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Starscream and his Destrons do some evil plotting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, it's a Starscream chapter, but...……..well, we need to know what the bad guys are up to as well, right? Because.....plot? XD
> 
> Did you know that "evil plot", "evil plotting", "evil plots", or replacing "evil" with "villainous"--none of those are actual already existing tags on this site? How is that possible, given some of the really bizarre tags I DO see pop up when I start to write a word!? Does nobody do "evil plotting"??? XD
> 
> This is the last of the currently typed chapters--I have about 3 more hand-written that I need to type yet, but this will be an ongoing story with chapters of peoples' lives during the 5 year gap. I'm far enough along in these chapters I can post "Blazing Spirit" now. :)

_ Chapter Seven: Gods Among Mortals _

The planet Quar’tal, a small organically-favorable planet in a six planet system out on the edges of the “_frontier_”—the unexplored and unaligned systems outside of the Galactic Alliance borders. Several months ago, Scorponok landed upon the planet, amongst lush jungles, and began to camouflage itself to look like an old temple buried in the heart of the jungle. Small Destron parties were sent out, cautioned to keep hidden and stay subtle, until they had settled in.

Starscream, Raj-ur-Malekk and the command staff of the Destron Army had chosen to craft a new central base of operations upon Quar’tal. To harvest the metal that was like _cybertronium_ and use the rich minerals to brew Premium Grade Energon, they first began to work very slowly and did not interact with the native species whatsoever. After all, there was a grand plan being set into motion—to set the Destrons up as **_GODS_** to the native population upon this world. And, as Wind Sheer and Raj-ur-Malekk had cautioned—they would **_not _**abuse the native population, but they would work to achieve their eternal devotion and worship.

If they dug themselves in so deep and made themselves irreplaceable gods to the natives, even as noble-ambitioned as the Autobots were—they would **_not_** be able to interfere with a willing servile population. It would go against everything the Autobots stood for, to try and thwart the _freedom_ of all species if they tried to interfere.

“_Ah_, these reports are very favorable,” the ancient Quintesson biologist chuckled, looking at his computer screen. “I cannot wait to harvest data on this species, to build my biological library up even more.”

The command staff meeting was proceeding at a fairly fast clip.

“This species seems to have a strong co-dependency on their religion, it shouldn’t be too difficult to integrate ourselves into it,” Greatshot murmured, rubbing his chin thoughtfully as he viewed the data as well on his own datapad. “Loyalty to their gods seems to be a primary trait of the many clans across this world.”

“I think we need a wider search for intelligence gathering,” Wind Sheer added, frowning. “We can’t afford to make a mistake here if there are clans that do not follow the general religion of the majority across this planet.”

“Squawktalk is currently traversing all hemispheres of the planet gathering that data for us,” Starscream said, switching his attention between his computer screen and his datapad. “With the holographic imaging system, he can cloak himself to resemble one of their large, migratory predator birds.”

“Venom and the others are getting restless,” Sky Shadow sighed. “Should we send them off world on a few chaos-causing missions just so they don’t accidentally disrupt our plans to embed ourselves here on Quar’tal?”

“As long as the holographic imaging system is functioning properly, we should send out Beastbox amongst the local population to gather data here,” Raj-ur-Malekk said, waving a tentacle absently. “There are native primate species here, his size and a holographic image should help him integrate here to gather more detailed local data.”

“Make sure that he would also gather data on the animal species on this world, as well as the natives,” Wind Sheer said, tapping fingers on the table with one servo. “We should not just focus on the _‘advanced species’_ of a planet, that would be falling back on old Decepticon ways and we could be overlooking a very small, but potentially very dangerous threat. Might I point out **_scraplets_**, anyone?” The doctor and scientist snapped, glaring at everyone.

“Oh, Primus, let’s **_not_** forget about scraplets!” Greatshot groaned deeply.

“I’m issuing orders to Beastbox now,” Starscream said, raising a servo to tap his audial as he sent a glyph message to the Cassetticon spy. “Sky Shadow, take Venom’s tribe out to raise some hell elsewhere right now—don’t come back until they’ve settled down and are satisfied.”

“I’m on it,” the black-and-grey mech chuckled, getting to his feet. He walked past Greatshot and gave his formerly-an-Autobot lover a wet little kiss before leaving the command room.

“So, what data do we have on the natives and their religion so far? Let’s take a good look at it,” Starscream said, bringing up a holographic image in the center of the table. “The advanced species of the planet are a generically standard humanoid frame, but they look very different than the Earthlings who call themselves _‘humans’_. It means they have two legs, two arms and a frame that consists of a head, chest and lower abdominal area with the limbs attached. They are taller, on average they stand about eight feet tall, with the females actually being taller than the males, most around nine feet. As such, it makes the females the _dominant_ gender of the species—and as a matriarchal society, their primary focus is on _‘family’_, that is why they gather in such large clans.”

“Unfortunately, this has led to inbreeding and weakness in their genetic structure in areas where clans have great distances between them,” Wind Sheer added, pointing to some data on the layout of clan habitats and structures. “However, clans that are in larger group areas widen their gene pools by mating outside of their own clans and into others.” Wind Sheer then used his datapad to bring up some images of various members of the species. “Their skins are covered in a light fur—this is _extremely important_ to them, they use the fur in much the same way as we use EM fields, their fur has sensitivities in it which resembles our ability to convey emotions in our fields.”

“As Wind Sheer pointed out, they have a light fur on their skins—because of this, their fur has colors and even patterns in them—this often shows parentage, clans and by way of various dyes, their allegiances or worship of particular gods on their world,” Raj-ur-Malekk added, noting the variation in the dozen images of natives. “Their long ears are deeply-cupped to catch even the smallest of sounds, they can raise them or flatten them, which may also express emotions. Their eyes are also large and adaptable to various shades of lighting or darkness. And the mane atop their heads and down the neck and spine have a greater sensitivity than their mere light fur does.”

“I think this means we’re going to have to be very careful when we begin to interact with them, if their fur has sensitivities like when they are _touched_,” Greatshot murmured, folding his servos beneath his chin and gazing at the images. “We Autobots interacted with many species across the universe and touch is a large part of many species’ interaction and development. We must be _very careful_ when we physically interact with a species such as this. Touch and our EM fields may convey things to this species that we shall need to be very careful about.”

“This brings us to the concept we wish to exploit,” Starscream said, leaning back in his chair and folding his arms across his chest. “They believe in a _‘universe of gods’_—this means that their gods are many and represent every concept they can imagine. There may be gods they have not named yet, but they have named hundreds of gods—and as they discover new concepts, they name a new god for it.”

“_Ah!_ **_This_** is beneficial to us, then,” Greatshot laughed. “They will not be surprised at our numbers, because their gods are infinite as well.”

“Though the plot must still be worked upon, to suit their idea of their _‘universe of gods’_……..we are pondering the concept of exiled gods,” Starscream added, nodding at the Autobot-turned-Destron. “It would not be inconceivable. It seems they have plenty of stories of their gods squabbling over petty things. We shall be a clan of gods who disagreed with a higher clan than us, therefore we were exiled to the mortal world for a thousand years to make up for our transgressions against the higher clan.”

“Then all we need yet do is to make our fictional background complete and concrete,” Wind Sheer responded, nodding around the table at his fellow command members of the Destron Army.

They all nodded back, knowing that much more work was yet to be done before they had dug into Quar’tal so firmly that none would be able to dig them out of the planet.


	8. Swords and Bonds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The crew of the Thunder Arrow are out looking for more survivors and stumble across information that Galvatron might find useful.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why do I reuse Minerva from "Super-God Masterforce" a lot? Well, as an original Autobot medic who gets less use in the American end of the fandom than Ratchet or First Aid (or even Velocity at this point), why not? It gives me a chance to develop her character out. In "Masterforce" she was a Transtector used by a human girl as part of the "Junior Headmasters" team...……..but in "Victory", she was a medic on her own in the Autobot community.
> 
> Expect to see her used a lot in this series, as she...……..well, joins Rodimus Prime's peacekeeping crew. :)

_ Chapter Eight: Swords and Bonds _

“We’ve got Destrons down there, Des—those same ones, the venomous Insecticons and their little handler, Black Shadow,” Deadlock reported, slowing the _Thunder Arrow_’s descent onto the small planet where an Autobot response signal to Soundwave’s beacons had come from.

“He’s going by _Sky Shadow_, now,” Deszaras responded, looking at his computer screen on the side of his captain’s chair. “Saber, get some weapons ready and prepare for combat—let’s be careful,” the old Decepticon warrior sighed, getting up as Deadlock brought the ship in for a landing.

The three lovers got a stash of their preferred weapons ready and exited the _Thunder Arrow_ as soon as it landed on the surface.

“Survivors are the priority, fighting isn’t,” Deszaras said to his two companions, before they all parted and went into battle their own ways.

Deadlock had chosen some heavy swords this time around, knowing that he wanted something to **_cut_** those Insecticons with if they decided to start chewing on him again! He transformed into his vehicle mode and went searching for the Autobot signals he’d gotten on the ship. There were several locations, but if the Decepticon warrior were any of those Autobots—he would’ve recommended splitting up and not staying a concentrated target. So, he hoped that there were other signals he hadn’t picked up, somewhere nearby.

Because if there were _just these three_………they may have been too late.

_‘I’ve lucked out………only one bug, but……….**only** one Autobot still alive as well,’_ Deadlock thought as he reached the point of the signal. He changed back into his primary form and dashed forwards, slashing at Barrage viciously.

The giant green-and-yellow robotic version of a Horned Stag Beetle hopped back and made a clicking-hissing sound of anger at Deadlock, who merely snarled back and put danger and fury into his field, rippling out. Barrage slunk back a bit, a little afraid of Deadlock’s powerful feelings of fury in his EM field.

“I got you, little Autobot,” the grey-and-white Decepticon warrior said, scooping up the red-and-white minibot quickly. He kept one of the two heavy swords aimed in Barrage’s direction, keeping a close optic on the Insection as he backed away as swiftly as he possibly could.

“Thanks, ‘Con,” the small one in his arms responded—and that was when Deadlock realized the minibot was a femme. “I think I might be pretty badly injured though……..”

“Hang in, I’ll take you back to the _Thunder Arrow_,” Deadlock responded, feeling he’d gotten far enough away from the Insecticon to make a full-out run for the ship. He spun on a pede and began running back to the _Thunder Arrow_…………glyphing both Deszaras and Star Saber while on his way.

Deadlock put the small femme onto a medical examination berth and started looking for supplies.

“A toxic venom, the rate of spread is five millimeters per second—there’s nothing to be done for my arm, but get a new one—if the toxin spreads to any important circuitry or my brain module or fuel pump, _I’m done for_,” the small femme said. “Hey, ‘Con—I’m going to need you to chop off my arm and do it _really fast_ so I don’t go into immediate shock and unconsciousness,” she added, looking over at Deadlock. “Are your swords **_clean_**?” She asked, nodding to the sheaths at his hips.

“Well, I only got to swing one, so the other’s unused—are you sure about this, _it’s going to hurt like the Pit_……….?” Deadlock asked, walking back over to the medical berth and drawing the unused sword from his left hip.

“I’ll be fine, if you do it very **_fast_**. Try to make it at the elbow-joint, if possible—it’ll make replacing the limb eventually go a lot better,” she responded, gazing up at him and smiling.

“If you say so,” the grey-and-white mech sighed. He lifted the heavy blade up and waited for the femme to stretch her limb out on the swing-out limb bracer of the berth. Deadlock brought the blade down as hard and fast as he could, not just slicing off the red-and-white femme’s arm at the elbow-joint, but going right through the limb bracer as well. All of that clattered to the floor.

“_Primus_. Do you have any coagulation oils and bandage mesh?” The femme asked with a grunt as she placed a servo over the bleeding wound.

“_Here_!” He tossed them to her as he got a tarp and picked up the shorn arm and bracer. “I’ve gotta dispose of this stuff ASAP. I’ll be back!” He called, taking the haul to the incinerator pit of the ship’s engines and making sure it was fully burned to ashes. When he got back to the _Thunder Arrow_’s small medi-bay, the femme had already oiled and bandaged up her arm. “I’m Deadlock. My captain is Deszaras and my other companion is Star Saber—we’re working with Rodimus Prime to find missing units out on the frontier.”

“_Yeah?_ We heard Soundwave’s message on behalf of this Prime—but wasn’t it a mech named Hot Rod?” The femme responded, tilting her head up at the grey-and-white mech.

“They’re the _same guy_. Lots of explanations and not for **_me_** to explain, really,” Deadlock answered, shrugging lightly.

“Always make things complicated, we do,” the femme sighed, laying back on the medical berth. “I’m _Minerva_. And I’ve lost what little remained of the unit I was attached to. I was the assistant doctor on the _Shining Past_.”

“Not familiar with it, but I’m _just a soldier_. Des probably knows all that information. Basically we can give you two options—we can take you to Chaar and the Autobot Embassy so they can explain things fully, or we can take you to Cybertron. Your choice, of course,” Deadlock explained, nodding down at her.

“Anywhere but here is good right now,” she sighed. “I’m going to recharge.”

The femme went into recharge almost instantly and Deadlock left the medi-bay, heading for the bridge of the _Thunder Arrow_. Deszaras was at the piloting station and was getting everything ready for takeoff.

“Saber is still out there,” the blue-and-grey mech grunted, moving out of the pilot’s seat to make room for Deadlock to take it. “I couldn’t find _anyone alive_, did **_you_** find anyone?” He asked, walking back to his captain’s seating and checking the monitors.

“A femme named Minerva—_a medic_,” Deadlock grunted softly, viewing the readouts across the piloting station. “Didn’t you get my glyph?” He asked, looking back at his commanding officer with a frown on his faceplate.

“It was _scrambled_. I could only make out that you were heading back to the ship,” Deszaras sighed, settling into his chair. “I think one of the Insecticons can scramble communications. There’s not a lot of data in the Decepticon files about them—Megatron just sent them out very far away from his main forces.”

“It figures,” the grey-and-white mech sighed. “The femme said it doesn’t matter where she goes, so we may as well head back to Chaar and report this to Galvatron. If Black Shadow is here _without a vessel_, it may mean the Destron base is in this sector.”

“There’s no ship?” The old soldier asked, bringing up his own scan displays of the planet, not bothering to correct Deadlock on the former Decepticon’s designation again. “You’re right. Our scans aren’t being blocked, only communications. They don’t have a ship, so they _flew here_.”

Deszaras leaned back in his chair and looked at all the data. But where could the Destron base be? Sky Shadow **_did_** have a space-worthy ship form, but would he want to carry these venomous Insecticons around? They seemed to only mildly follow orders, which meant they’d do their own thing if they felt hungry or bored. Also, Sky Shadow could travel between a couple planetary systems, but not much further than that in his alt mode. He was space-worthy, but not necessarily long-distance worthy. He wasn’t coming from _this system_, likely—but in the sector there were six planetary systems.

“_Meh_, leave it to Galvatron’s staff to figure out—it’s not our call, Des,” Deadlock said when he saw the look on his commander’s faceplate. “Saber’s aboard, I’m lifting off.”

“Very well. Once the course has been plotted back to Chaar, put the _Thunder Arrow_ on auto-pilot and go check in with Saber. I’m going to talk to Minerva,” Deszaras said, a deep sigh in his voice.

“She might still be asleep, she lost some blood you know,” the weaponsmech grunted.

“We have half-a-day before we’ll reach Chaar, as far out as we are now,” the old warrior responded. “I’ll inventory the medi-bay, because I’m sure you made a mess looking for supplies.”

“_Tch_. I’m a soldier, not a medic,” Deadlock muttered. He set the auto-pilot coordinates for Chaar and got up from the piloting station. He went down to the weapons storage room and found Star Saber down there, outside of his expansion armour and polishing his V-Saber. “You good, Saber?” The Decepticon soldier asked, patting his lover’s shoulder consolingly.

“_Yeah_. I’m good,” the old Autobot warrior responded with a soft sigh.

“Well, your sword’s certainly super-shiny. I think you’ve been down here brooding a bit too long now,” Deadlock sighed, hefting the mech up by an arm. Outside of his armour, Star Saber was the same size and height as Deadlock. “Come, you—let go get cleaned up. Your armour may keep this frame clean, but you can get my backside for me while **_I _**get cleaned up.”

“You have the worst way of asking a mech to frag, Deadlock, _honestly_,” Star Saber chuckled, flicking a finger on the servo grasping his arm, then they walked side-by-side back towards Deadlock’s own set of quarters.

“I need some more sword training, Saber. The next time we have downtime, I’ll need you to go over it with me,” Deadlock responded, shaking his head. “I still prefer my guns, but I realize there are times when I’m going to need some close combat training. I need more of that.”

“_That’s_ an even worse way to ask for a frag, you weirdo,” Star Saber chuckled, teasing his lover with warmth and fondness. “Well, I suppose at least right now I can show you how to _sheath a sword_ properly………” he continued, his tone light and taunting.

Deadlock began to walk faster towards his quarters, because in a few moments he really **_was _**going to take that taunt of sheathing a sword seriously and frag Star Saber right out there in the corridors. He practically threw the red-and-blue mech into his washrack and turned on the cleansing fluids to a heated drizzle. Then Deadlock pressed Star Saber against the wall and grabbed the sides of the blue helm and kissed his lover hard.

Star Saber relaxed and let himself go. He had fallen in love with _Deszaras_ a long time ago and when they met in combat that final day, with their units decimated—he had thrown in his lot with his former enemy and surrendered to love and passion. They **_all _**still wore their brands, because they upheld ideals important to them, represented by the individual brands. His relationship with Deadlock was newer than the one with Deszaras and more along the lines of a physical desire and want, but he was still quite fond of the serious soldier—Deadlock had depths within him that he rarely let others see, but Star Saber treasured _those moments_ so very much.

“You’re **_pretty hot_**, Deadlock, I _always_ get revved up around you,” Star Saber purred as the grey-and-white mech grabbed his hips and pressed their groinplating hard against one another.

“_Mmmm_. Well, you are certainly not dull to be around, Saber,” Deadlock murmured, leaning forwards and nuzzling at the Autobot’s neck-cabling, biting a few areas teasingly.

“Berth, you silly ‘Con—let’s finish up here and _get in the berth_,” the old Autobot warrior murmured, lifting a leg and hooking it over the Decepticon’s hip.

“_Around_, I want something fast to take my edge off so I can enjoy everything else in the berth,” the grey-and-white mech chuckled softly.

Star Saber turned around and opened his valve panel with a warm laugh. Deadlock thrust in hard and fast, grunting as he pounded his lover hungrily, he overloaded quickly and murmured a light apology to the Autobot for not giving him an overload, too. Star Saber murmured that there was nothing to apologize for, turned around and lightly kissed the Decepticon’s lips. He walked past Deadlock, to get towels and then began drying his frame off.

Deadlock gave a light sigh and turned off the cleansing liquid, stepped out of the washrack and dried himself off as well. He walked over to the berth, _first_, and laid out. Star Saber grinned and crawled on top of his Decepticon lover, teasing more kisses from Deadlock—and then a whole lot more for the next few hours together.

After they’d both finally had enough, they curled up against each other, Deadlock spooning Star Saber’s frame, and listened to their hard-running systems slowly—_ever so slowly_—begin scaling down activity until they were both running at a slow and normal hum.

“You and Des both have great cuddling instincts,” Star Saber murmured, sleepily.

“You Autobots and your need to be touchy-feely, even after fragging,” Deadlock sighed, but there was fondness in the tone of his voice. He’d never admit it aloud, but the Decepticon warrior enjoyed curling against this Autobot after interfacing a whole lot as well. He tightened his embrace and felt both of their systems relax and slow down enough for them to fall into recharge together.


	9. Admiration from Not-So-Far-Away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A Decepticon from Kesia wanders into Iacon and finds himself getting a new job working for Rodimus Prime.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Skyjack is one of those random plane Decepticons from the G2 toyline. They couldn't have used him much, since he wasn't in the DreamWave biographical data books--and they literally covered every single Micromaster from the 80's toyline! XD That's what I have my "Legacy: The Art of Transformers Packaging" for. And I hope the book coming out in November (Transformers: A Visual History) is really worthwhile to own, too. I refer to my Legacy book and the DreamWave MTMTE sourcebooks more than any other Transformers reference book I own--including the DK guide, which I take minor issues with as Mr. Furman discounts the whole G1S3 universe basically. :/
> 
> With this chapter, I've covered the newest additions to Rodimus' crew as of "Blazing Spirit"--so now I can proof that, get it posted this week and work on a new MegaRod 'fic, as well. :) However "During That Time" chapters will continue with more events of lives in the 5-year gap. :D

_ Chapter Nine: Admiration from Not-So-Far _

The dark red, sleek starship from Galvatron proved to be a rather impressive draw of optics when Rodimus Prime, and the Autobots who went with him to Chaar to retrieve it, brought it back to Cybertron. Of course, for Rodimus—now it was merely a matter of getting a crew to travel with him and making the plans to do so. He _did _already have Sixshot and Slipstream volunteer to come along with him. A couple of Decepticons on Chaar had expressed some mild interest and gave their PCC’s to Rodimus, asking for him to contact them when he was closer to ready to go out into the universe and they’d decide whether or not it’s really for them by that time.

The ship, however, got a lot of confusion from Stormbreaker…….who was still struggling with the idea of multiple berths and new places to sleep in every other week it seemed. The young Autobot Prime knew his femmeling would get used to the fact, eventually, but she was still very young to grasp these concepts quickly. But she really did like the new crib on the _Arrowshot_, especially when told that her sire had it crafted just for her—getting absolutely anything from Galvatron made her _extremely happy_.

Rodimus was helping her walk down the access ramp for the _Arrowshot_, being very encouraging at her trying to navigate steadily on a slope like that, when he suddenly felt an EM field nearby. He looked around, still murmuring encouragingly to the femmeling, trying to find who was watching them. The field felt fairly neutral, so the flame-colored mech didn’t think that the person watching was a threat—it was probably one more person coming to admire the sleek starship Galvatron had built for his precious Prime.

“_Oh_, I think we have company, Storm—look, a Decepticon has come to visit us!” Rodimus said, cheerfully, as her small pedes finally touched down on the surface of the landing platform.

“_City-zen_!” She said, excitedly, looking in the direction her carrier pointed. “_Froooooommm Kesssssiaaaa_!”

“Hello, over there! Want to come join us, over here?” The young Autobot Prime called, looking over to where the Decepticon in colors of black and red, was watching from around the corner of the maintenance building.

The Decepticon hesitated for a couple moments and then shyly walked over, one servo reaching across his chest to rub nervously on the opposite upper arm. He was definitely an aerial mech, with a warrior’s facial shield. His design was slick and more streamlined than the Seekers, so Rodimus thought that the Decepticon came from a later batch out of Vector Sigma’s forge than the batch Starscream and Slipstream came from.

“_Hi_,” the Decepticon said, coughing politely to activate his vocalizer.

“Welcome to Iacon,” Rodimus said, grinning at the shorter mech warmly. “Say _‘hello’_, Storm.”

“_Hiiiiiiii_!!!!” Stormbreaker said, loudly, waving up at the black-and-red Decepticon. She shifted around on her pedes, using Rodimus’ boots to keep balance and was eventually toddling in circles around her carrier’s boots.

“I’m Rodimus Prime, _Autobot Leader-blah-blah-blah_………..and this is Stormbreaker, mine and Galvatron’s second offspring,” the flame-colored mech chuckled, placing his servos on his hips and smiling at the Decepticon in a friendly manner.

“_Wow_. You must be pretty young, chief, to be so flippant about your position like that,” the red-and-black Decepticon chuckled warmly. “I’m _Skyjack_. From Kesia, as your little one said earlier. I was wondering if there were any jobs to be had here in Iacon? Kesia doesn’t have much variety on jobs quite yet. Then I saw the ship and wanted to come look at it—it’s really amazing,” he introduced and then looked longingly at the ship. “I was a mechanic, in the engineering of a ship out on the frontier.”

“I can look and see if we have anything around here for mechanics, but………there’s an opportunity to work on this ship,” the flame-colored mech said, warmly. “This is the _Arrowshot_. Galvatron had it constructed for me, so that I could travel around brokering peace and stuff. I don’t have much of a plan, yet………or much of a crew, really.”

“So, you’re looking for crew?” Skyjack asked, tilting his head curiously. He glanced down at the femmeling, who’d plopped down near her carrier’s pedes and leaned against a boot, a little tired out from all her toddling about. “She’s so tiny and cute,” he chuckled.

“I think so, too—and, _secretly_, so does Galvatron,” Rodimus Prime laughed, reaching down and picking Stormbreaker up. She purred and snuggled against his chest tiredly. “_Yeah_. As soon as I get my plan, I’m going to need enough people to make sure I can run the ship around the galaxy.”

“If I can work with this ship, I’d _love_ to come along,” Skyjack said, reaching out a servo and patting the side of the ship.

“C’mon, let’s go to my office. Ultra Magnus will enjoy giving you employment paperwork, but I’m all for you coming along, especially if you _really want to_,” Rodimus said, motioning with one servo to come along with him.

The two chatted about little things on the walk to the administration offices in Iacon. The young Autobot Prime introduced Skyjack to Ultra Magnus, who immediately presented a datapad full of employment information. Rodimus let Skyjack come into his own office to fill out the paperwork, as he placed Stormbreaker on a mattress pad within her playpen. She mumbled sleepily, making grabby hands at Rodimus Prime, who reached for the Red Panda plush nearby in the playpen and gave it to her. The femmeling purred and hugged the round plush tightly as the flame-colored mech pulled a blanket over her, she fell into recharge easily, her small systems humming quietly.

“She really is _so cute_. It’s strange, I never knew our kind could do that—though I’ve seen a lot of fleshlings produce offspring,” Skyjack chuckled, looking over at the playpen as Rodimus Prime walked around to sit at his desk.

“Not all of our kind can—there’s adjusted programs and protocols inside of me and Galvatron that let _us two_ do it,” the flame-colored mech chuckled. “But I _love_ it. I love both my little brats and they’re a treasure Galvatron gave to me.”

“Yeah, I heard that there’s another one, but they’re not with you?” The red-and-black Decepticon asked, looking back over towards Rodimus.

“Novablaze is staying on Chaar with Galvatron and everyone else. It was a painful compromise for all of us. Storm really misses her sire a lot most of the time,” the young Autobot Leader sighed, looking over towards the playpen and feeling the small field of his femmeling, neutral and in recharge. “And, as odd as it may sound, Galvatron misses her, too. While he saw Nova be born, he didn’t see his firstborn often in the first couple years of his life so he can be ambivalent about Nova sometimes, but he saw Storm’s first two years—he saw how small she was, he saw her talk and walk for the first time—so, I think even someone like Galvatron managed to bond with his second offspring. He looks at her differently than he does Nova and feels he must protect her even more than he would Novablaze, even while gets on _my case_ about spoiling her.”

Skyjack nodded and went back to filling out the employment form on the datapad in front of him. While he worked on the application, Rodimus started talking about some of the things he wanted to do with the Arrowshot—how he wanted to work on making peace through the galaxy and education the members of the Galactic Alliance about the Transformers and their past and their hopes for the future. That eventually he wanted to see the Decepticons have a place in the Galactic Alliance as well. How much Galvatron had changed since they met and became sparkbonded……….

“Is it really all right for you to sparkbond to someone who’s already got other bonds?” Skyjack asked, looking up from his form curiously. “That can’t really be very easy for you…….” he murmured softly.

“I know how Galvatron is. I know who he **_was_**. And I saw a brilliant future for him,” Rodimus Prime murmured, folding his hands beneath his chin and smiling fondly. “Sometimes, to keep something you treasure, you have to accept it’s small flaws and discords. Galvatron’s strong enough to handle the bonds he has and………..I really don’t feel much of Cyclonus or Scourge through my bond with Galvatron, so I think Galvatron has a good way of having sorted and separated the bonds within him.”

“He really must be some kind of mech,” Skyjack chuckled warmly. “The way they talk in Kesia, they seem to have mixed feelings about Galvatron, which is why most of them want to stay here on Cybertron.”

“Well, Galvatron is Galvatron and……….._seriously, **right now**_? What is it _with_ him?!” Rodimus muttered, rising up from his chair and pacing to the other side of the room to read the glyph-message that appeared on his HUD. “_Are you kidding me_? _Now_, he wants to talk to me **_right now_**?” The flame-colored mech groaned. “Excuse me, Skyjack—could you leave the room for a few moments? Galvatron wishes _‘a moment of my time’_,” he said, looking at the red-and-black Decepticon.

“I have to wonder if he misses _you_, too—and that’s why he bothers you all the time like this?” Skyjack chuckled, standing up and taking his datapad with him to try and finish filling out in the waiting area. “I’ll go and give this to Ultra Magnus when I’m done and head back to Kesia for today. I’ll leave my contact information, too. Good luck, chief,” he added, nodding politely at the young Autobot Leader and left the room. The Decepticon was in a good mood—he’d soon have a job and likely some kind of adventure, too………..on a very beautiful starship, no less!


	10. We Burn Like Fire Whenever We Meet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sex and a serious conversation between Rodimus Prime and Galvatron.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Starscream isn't just sitting back in the five years either. *chuckle* In the old cartoon, it would be a Decepticon attack to get things moving along in an episode, well, we have a Destron attack. XD

_ Chapter Ten: We Burn Like Fire Whenever We Meet _

The attack on Cybertron was just one of many exercises that Starscream had been doing in the past year, but it didn’t make any of the Autobots any happier to fend off an assault today on this particular day than it did any other day. Rodimus Prime had instantly glyphed Galvatron about the assault, figuring his violent lover would cherish the opportunity to try and crush Starscream for good. And the young Autobot Leader was glad he had Slipstream and Sixshot to protect Stormbreaker so that he could go out and direct combat with Ultra Magnus.

Decepticons from Kesia even showed up, which was a _really big bonus_ for the day.

And it was absolutely no secret when **_Galvatron_** had shown up, _none whatsoever_, because everything around everyone everywhere began to explode—the harsh, high-pitched wail of his nova cannon pierced all audials as it fired over and over again, plus there was the roar-snarl of Starscream’s designation echoing over every other sound on the battlefield in the deep and powerful boom of Galvatron’s voice!

Rodimus Prime elegantly side-stepped as his lover’s bulky frame crashed to the ground beside him and _without thinking_, he reached a servo down to Galvatron and yanked him back up to his pedes—his focus still on combat.

“Nice of you to drop in, my Emperor—I really wouldn’t want you to miss _all this fun_,” the young Autobot Prime laughed.

“That gestalt is a _monster_,” Galvatron grunted, holding up the forearm without his nova cannon and showing the burning, melting marks of fingers on it. “Warn your Autobots to keep back, I do not have all their PCCs to do so myself!” He snapped, launching himself back up into the skies and flying directly towards Monstructor.

That meant he’d already sent a glyph to his own Decepticon troops to keep back from Monstructor and it’s _something-worse-than-acidic_ touch. Rodimus hesitated, if that thing had a substance that could melt parts of Galvatron’s armour, then it was a _very bad situation_. He sent out a warning glyph to all Autobots to stay back from Monstructor. He glanced over for a few moments and watched Galvatron fly, swerve and fire shots at the colorful gestalt, trying very hard to avoid the monster-combiner’s servos and its burning touch.

Starscream actually wasn’t on the battlefield, as he had been the last few times he’d coordinated attacks—which, _of course_, infuriated Galvatron. But the former Decepticons’ Second-in-Command was **_not_** going to waste his time and effort being on the field when he could collect battle data onboard his flagship, the _Shadowstalker_, and let his troops fight for him. And that was really all this assault was for—a collection of battle data to plan better future assaults.

Not too long after Galvatron and the Decepticons had joined the battle, Starscream had called for a retreat and the _Shadowstalker_ warped out quickly, once the Destron troops were back aboard. Even as he landed, the powerful Decepticon Leader cursed the Quintesson technology that allowed the ship to retreat in an instant.

“Galvatron, let me take a look at your arm,” Rodimus Prime said, keeping his voice even and soothing as he walked up to his lover.

Galvatron paid no attention to the young Autobot’s words and merely grabbed him around the back of the neck, yanking his rival and lover forward against him, crashing his lips against the pleading ones before Rodimus could say anything else. Lots of voices chortled or teased or groaned, there were even a few yells of “_get a room!_”, especially once Galvatron’s other servo began roaming the flame-colored mech’s frame eagerly.

“_Um. **Thanks**._ I missed you, too, but………_your arm_……….” Rodimus trailed off as Galvatron’s claws dug into his aft and he pushed his groinplating hard against his younger lover’s. “Hey, and there’s Storm, too………come _ommmmpphh_!!” The young Prime started to say when Galvatron’s lips pressed hard against his again and he slid his glossa through and swiped it savagely inside of the flame-colored mech’s mouth. “_Galvatron! Dammit! **Your arm**, let me look at your arm!!!_” The young Autobot Prime wailed sharply, raising both servos to push at the Decepticon Leader’s shoulder pillars.

**/WANTMINENOW\**

Rodimus’ optics blazed bright with attention and sudden arousal. Galvatron very rarely let his emotions flow through his EM field so intensely like **_that_**! It was usually a consistent pulse of lust or desire or command in a limited area and range, but generally the Decepticon Emperor held his EM field in a strong neutral state. Right now, the bulky purple mech’s field was blaring his sexual hunger **_extremely blatantly_**. The flame-colored mech grabbed the sides of Galvatron’s helm and held on tight, making their optics lock and focus on one another.

“Not out in front of all our troops_. Come on, you!_ We need to go somewhere we can be **_alone_**!” Rodimus Prime hissed sharply, actually _headbutting_ Galvatron to get the Decepticon Leader to focus back on the location and situation they were in right now.

“**_Prrrriiiiiimmmmmeeee_**!!!” Galvatron snarled sharply, in a very low tone, knocking his head back into a harder headbutt against his younger lover’s.

“_Ow! Dammit!! **Focus**!!!_” Rodimus snapped back, headbutting Galvatron _again_, trying to make it harder than before, but he had nowhere near the warmachine’s intense power coursing through him right now.

“Very well, my Prime!” The powerful Decepticon Leader hissed, scooping Rodimus Prime up into his arms and shooting off into the sky, going straight for the ancient ruins of Kaon. Even before landing, he threw the flame-colored mech to the ground and dove down upon him before he could move, pinning the younger mech’s frame with his own bulkier one. “**_MINE_**,” he growled fiercely.

“_Yeah,_” Rodimus agreed, his back arching as Galvatron’s fangs sank into his neck-cabling. Now that they were alone, he savored the intensity of the possession and desire in his Deception lover’s EM field, letting his own field caress and swirl about Galvatron’s with deep feelings of love and longing.

He was just as aroused as Galvatron was—he missed his lover _so much_ this past year. It was hard to believe it had been a year since he left Chaar and began working towards his own brilliant destiny—and towards Galvatron’s even more brilliant destiny, even if the Decepticon Emperor didn’t grasp that right at this time. A part of him said he should calm Galvatron down and let Stormbreaker see her sire first, but the totally rational part said to him, Galvatron really wouldn’t care about _anything_ other than fragging right now.

Their first overload came upon them before they even realized it, before they even opened any panels and merged their frames, both of them groaned and pressed hard against each other’s bodies—then Galvatron collapsed on top of Rodimus Prime and they listened to their engines roar and their fans spun and nearly overheated trying to cool down their frames.

“Not that you’re too heavy when I’m in _this frame_, my Emperor, but you’re still pretty big to be laying on top of me and dozing off,” Rodimus teased, one servo reaching down to caress the garish-orange barrel of his lover’s nova cannon, as the other reached up and caressed a tine of Galvatron’s tri-point crowned helm.

“I am _not _dozing off,” Galvatron responded, his tone sounding a little bit like a pout. “And I am _not done_, yet,” he growled, planting his servos down against the ground to each of Rodimus Prime’s sides and hauling his upper body up off of the flame-colored mech’s frame.

“_Oh_, don’t worry, **_I’m_** not either,” the young Autobot Prime chuckled fondly, reaching both servos up to caress the sides of the bulky purple mech’s faceplate. “But let me look at your arm first, _please_, my beloved Emperor?” He asked, pushing Galvatron back as he sat up.

Galvatron planted himself, seated, next to Rodimus Prime and held up the arm without the nova cannon, so that his younger lover could look at the melt-damage that Monstructor caused to his forearm. He could never refuse his Autobot lover when he used _that tone_ of pleading and love—it was something about his Prime that he embraced and treasured.

Rodimus took the forearm and braced it on his knee-joints and brought down his secondary optical visor, to use some of its scanning abilities. He ran viral scans and damage assessment scans and didn’t come up with anything that needed immediate medical attention. The young, flame-colored mech, exvented a deep sigh of relief as he labeled it just “_cosmetic damage_”. It was only because it was **_Galvatron_** that it actually could be labelled that way, if it had been any other mech or femme, they would probably have lost their arm.

“Are you satisfied that it is not a dangerous injury now, my Prime?” Galvatron asked, taking the arm off of his younger lover’s knee-joints and then wrapped it around the flame-colored mech’s back and rested the servo on the opposite hip of his lover, pulling him closer.

“_Yeah_. You know me,” Rodimus said with a sigh, leaning his head against Galvatron’s shoulder. “It’s been a few months since I last saw you. Have you been abstaining? That was _a bit intense_, my lord,” he chuckled, teasingly, reaching a servo up to lightly rap the back of it on Galvatron’s chest, on top of the Decepticon brand.

“You are my chosen one, my Prime—I prefer to frag _you_ more than any other, except Cyclonus,” Galvatron said, simply, giving a light snort. He was not going to even give the young Autobot Prime a thought that he had been any sort of chaste while they were apart—**_BECAUSE HE MOST CERTAINLY WAS NOT_**. “It only makes sense that you arouse me to great heights of fiery passion, am I not correct? And what about _you_? Have you finally broken your vow of chastity when I am not with you and taken a lover to your berth?” The Decepticon Leader asked, leaning his head down against Rodimus’ on his shoulder.

“I can’t. _Not now………or yet………..or whatever._ Nothing feels right, except **_you_**……….” the flame-colored mech murmured softly. “I dunno……….._sorry_.”

“You need not be sorry for anything, my Prime,” the powerful warmachine said, firmly. “It will come in due time. You _will_ want someone to be in your berth when I cannot be there. You must choose **_honesty_** with yourself and your Spark, my Prime, and do not hold yourself back to silly ideals when your desire calls to another.”

“But………..what about _you_, Galvatron? Our Spark-bond? I mean, does it mean that I’m…….**_unfaithful_**?” Rodimus Prime whispered, pulling his knee-joints up to his chest and leaning into Galvatron even more.

“We clearly view things differently from each other, my precious Prime,” Galvatron sighed, sliding his servo up from the flame-colored mech’s hip and placing the servo lightly on his lover’s upper arm to hold him closer. “_I know your Spark, Hot Rod_—**_that_** is not unfaithful to me. That is the only truth, that you belong to me………and I belong to you, as well, correct? _Fragging is just pleasure_. It is a mere physical satiation and **_that_** is not as important as the Spark-bond that we share. You Autobots and most of those silly fleshlings stress yourselves out by placing equality on the bond and the interfacing, but they are completely _separate things_. Denying the needs of your body out of some misguided deception of _‘loyalty’_ does harm to you, I think. Just as you need Energon and recharge to function, you also need to frag to release tensions and relax—so that you remain at your best.”

“_Sorry_, it’s too hard for me to decide that fragging and the Spark-bond are separate things right now. I don’t think I can break out of that mentality, yet,” Rodimus Prime sighed, exventing deeply and rubbing the side of his faceplate against Galvatron’s shoulder pillar.

“Do you feel that **_I _**am unfaithful, because I do not share your view on this subject?” Galvatron asked, a soft huff in the tone of his voice.

“_No_. Not really. You’re **_Galvatron _**and it’s the way you are,” the flame-colored mech responded, a fond chuckle in his voice.

“Yet, you and Cyclonus seem to both want me to be exclusive to each of you,” the powerful Decepticon muttered, squeezing Rodimus’ upper arm lightly. “Even after a year apart, the both of you act thus with me. Honestly, if you would _both _come to my berth and release all your passions together there, perhaps you would both learn a valuable lesson.”

Rodimus Prime tried to think of interfacing with Galvatron, sharing the time with Cyclonus—the both of them pleasuring him together, _in the very same berth_. Then he shook his head, he couldn’t picture it—the very idea fizzled out instantly in his brain. Galvatron suddenly roared with laughter and he hugged Rodimus Prime tighter.

“Enough of this seriousness, my Prime,” the powerful Decepticon Leader said, warmth and amusement in the tone of his voice. “Let us frag some more, allow me to have my fill of you before I go back to Iacon with you and give my little Stormbreaker some attention before I must return to Chaar.”

“_’Kay_,” the young Autobot Leader murmured.

Kisses and caresses brought the fire back into a blazing inferno for them both, until they came together, burning brightly with passion in one another’s arms, melting into the pleasure of one another’s frames beneath the starlight sparkling above them in the ruins of Kaon.


	11. A Treasured Little Princess

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rodimus Prime is taking Stormbreaker onto an Earth talk show...……...and Galvatron shows up, completely unexpectedly!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The talk show host is a fictional version of a real life star personality that everyone probably knows. *chuckle*

_ Chapter Eleven: A Treasured Little Princess _

A **_lot_** of people wanted young Rodimus Prime’s time when he came to Earth the next time—any time that he came back to Earth. He actually had to turn down a few publicity requests many times and tell them that it would have to wait for a later time—there was still a lot to do, reshuffling the Autobot duties between Earth and Cybertron. Even though nearly a year had passed already since he came back as Autobot Leader.

“I’m _only_ going to go on to Lainie’s show this time,” Rodimus said, curtly, looking at Jazz, even as he held his servos down to hold onto Stormbreaker’s. “This one is for goodwill publicity and not political. Lainie’s show is not political, she’s a humanitarian. She also asked to see Stormbreaker, so that’s that,” he added.

“You know that _anyone_ would watch Stormbreaker for you,” Optimus Prime chuckled, watching the flame-colored mech play with his femmeling.

“Well, I’m trying to do things differently this time around. I did encourage positive publicity the last time I was Rodimus Prime, however, I did try to keep Nova out of the spotlight. This time around, it’s only right that everyone sees our kind in all sorts of light, good and bad,” the young, flame-colored mech chuckled. “Everything I want to do means that Storm’s going to be involved in my life closely—so, everyone should get to know her. And she needs to get to know people, _all sorts of people_!” He said, cheerfully.

“Stormy knows _city-zeeeeens from Kesiaaaaaaa_ and _Autobots from Meeeetroooopleeeexxx_,” the femmeling cooed happily, trying to stomp on her carrier’s pedes playfully as he held onto her servos so she didn’t fall down. “’N’ Stormy knows _Maaaaaaaggggnuussss from Saaaaiiibeerrtrooon_ and Autobots there, **_too_**!” She giggled. After a year away from Chaar now, she had gotten a lot better at her Cybertronian—though she still loved to drag words out and even make up new words. Even her English was getting better and Rodimus had also started teaching her Galactic Standard.

Tears had given way to curiosity. She’d get excited whenever they’d visit Chaar or if Galvatron would just randomly pop up and she’d cry when she’d have to part from her brother and sire again, but she had gotten so used seeing new things all the time, she found she had very little time to cry over missing half of her family. Stormbreaker had come to love her new and exciting life. She liked Kicker and Sally on Athenia. She always looked forward to Daniel reading her fantastic little stories.

“That’s right, you know a lot of people now, don’t you, little Stormbreaker?” Optimus said, fondly, kneeling down and rubbing her helm gently with a couple of fingers.

“_Yeeeeeessss!_ Stormy knows _lots and lots_ of people!” The femmeling gushed, purring happily at the attention. “_Caaaaarrriiii!_ Stormy wants _other kitty_ now!” She giggled, looking up into the flame-colored mech’s faceplate pleadingly.

Rodimus Prime chuckled and let go of her servos, turning around to take the plush ball-shaped Red Panda plush off of the nearby desk chair. “Here you go, bratling,” he chuckled, warmly, handing it to her.

Stormbreaker grabbed the plush and started dashing around the room, giggling and making the Red Panda pretend to fly, even using little motor sounds to sell the point that her plush was flying around carefree.

“She _does_ know it’s not a cat, right?” Jazz asked, tilting his head as he watched the little femmeling tear around the room happily.

“Well, she understands now, but she’s already named it _‘other kitty’_—so _‘other kitty’_ it will probably always be,” Rodimus chuckled warmly. “I recently discovered that Galvatron gave her original _‘kiddy’_ a very treasured space in his palace—it shows that even that scary powerful mech can be adorable sometimes. It’s on the nightstand by his berth,” he said, smiling and feeling great warmth for Galvatron deep within his Spark.

“Galvatron’s very straightforward and unwavering way of thought is really very interesting,” Optimus Prime chuckled, walking over to stand next to the flame-colored mech. “I had thought of him as an extension or upgrade of Megatron, but he really isn’t. He’s _very different_ and he really is something more.”

“It’s true,” Rodimus Prime responded with a grin. “I love that he’s honest, even when he’s brutally honest. He’ll _never_ be a diplomat, though. There’s no way I’d ever trust him coming with me on **_any_** sort of goodwill trip—especially given our disastrous interview on _‘Meet the Universe’_ those few years back.”

“How do you plan to get him to join the Galactic Alliance, though?” The red-and-blue mech inquired, looking over at his successor curiously.

“For one thing, it must wait until he’s _‘done conquering’_. We need to know what his empire contains and its boundaries, even though I’m fairly certain he’ll stop after the twelfth planet in Chaar’s system,” Rodimus Prime explained, grinning at his predecessor fondly. “Once he’s established his empire, then we’ll need to get the Galactic Alliance to formally recognize it—after that, things go fairly easier and faster. It didn’t take long for us to get Earth into the Galactic Alliance, I don’t think it’ll take the Decepticons too long either, once Galvatron’s consolidated his territory.”

All of the sudden Metroplex flashed warning lights and Stormbreaker squealed with excitement, jumping up and down. “_Siiiiiirrrrrrrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!_” She squealed, tossing her Red Panda in the air and catching it over-and-over.

“Seriously, what is with Galvatron? I _swear_ he knows when I’m talking about him!” Rodimus groaned, also feeling the familiar EM field of his powerful lover. “Jeeze, and we’re going on television in another hour, I don’t have time for this!” He sighed, walking over to scoop up the excited femmeling and walked to the main entrance of Metroplex.

Optimus Prime chuckled as he followed the flame-colored mech, while Jazz went about to soothe everyone’s fears that an attack was **_NOT_** imminent.

“Hey, Galvatron—what brings you here so suddenly?” Rodimus Prime asked, handing the squealing and squirming femmeling immediately to her sire. Stormbreaker purred happily, burrowing against Galvatron’s chestplating as she always loved to do. “I’ve got a public thing to do in an hour, so Storm and I have to get ready to go, soon………..”

He noticed that the powerful Decepticon Leader was here alone. There was no ship landed nearby, so did that mean the _Novastorm_ was in orbit, awaiting his commands?

“Yes, yes—I am quite aware of this television interview,” Galvatron said, staring directly at Rodimus and ignoring Optimus Prime standing right behind his own precious Prime. “You forwarded me this information. I enjoy watching you on these things, because you are so very good at them.”

“_Oh_,” the flame-colored mech said, mollified. “I could have had it recorded for you to watch at your convenience.” Then he stopped right in the middle of his thoughts as Galvatron’s probably unspoken request occurred to him. “**_No_**. Seriously, **_no_**, Galvatron. You _can’t_ come with me. Earthlings are ninety-nine percent terrified of you.”

“You are going to tell **_me_** _‘no’_, Prime? Well, rest assured—I was not going to accompany you to the program itself. I figured the least your staff could do would be to let me view it first-hand here at Metroplex,” Galvatron responded, very seriously. “Then when you are finished with this program, you will make some time for **_us_**. _Together. No one else_.”

Rodimus Prime facepalmed himself. _Of course_. If Galvatron came all this way, there’d be fragging involved at some point. “Okay, sure. But you’ll spend time with Storm, too, right?” He asked, reaching over and stroking the red-colored femmeling’s helm fondly.

“_Of course I shall._ Do not be ridiculous, my Prime,” the Decepticon Leader said, a light tone of pouting in it.

**_Uh-oh_**. The _Novastorm_ **_wasn’t _**in orbit. Galvatron came here under his own power, _unaccompanied,_ using the Galactic Alliance’s and Earth’s warp-gates. That meant that Galvatron expected to be treated like a guest—no, _he expected to be treated like the royalty he believed he was_. It _wasn’t_ just a one-day pop-in by the powerful Emperor of the Decepticons, Galvatron clearly expected to be here for a few days. He sent a quick glyph-message to Optimus Prime.

**|Optimus. Galvatron came on his own—he wants to be treated properly due his station and will likely be here a few days.|**

**|I gathered that from his tone of voice. Don’t worry, Rodimus. We’ll be respectful to Galvatron, unless he intends to start trouble.|**

“Okay, so………Optimus will show you around and make sure you’re comfortable. If you’d rather have more comfortable settings, there’s the captain’s room on the _Arrowshot_, otherwise, Storm and I have a small guest room here in Metroplex—the _Arrowshot_’s out on the landing pad. Metroplex can even notify you where it is,” Rodimus Prime said, smiling at his lover. “Storm and I will be at the television station for a few hours. The broadcast is live, so simply ask for them to tune the screen you want to watch it on for you—most of the Autobots will be watching it anyways.”

“Understood. Now what is this television program again? Is it another show where they talk about completely random things?” The bulky purple-and-grey mech asked, looking down to notice that Stormbreaker had fallen into a nap-cycle against him, purring softly in her sleep.

“Yes. But this one talks about people’s lives and not just the topics of the day,” Rodimus Prime answered. He walked alongside Galvatron as they walked into Metroplex—who had thankfully turned off the silent alarms. Optimus Prime walked a few steps behind them.

“_Why_ in the pit do you want to talk about daily life—is it not enough that you _live_ with it?” Galvatron groaned, shaking his head. 

Rodimus shrugged as they came to his own guest room in Metroplex’s depths. “Here’s our room. You can just ask Metroplex to tune the viewer for you to whatever you wish to watch,” the flame-colored mech said, motioning around the spartan quarters. “Optimus will show you to the _Arrowshot_, if you’d rather go there……….” he added.

“This will do until you return,” Galvatron responded, handing the sleeping femmeling to his flame-colored lover and then walked over to the berth and laid down on it. “You may turn the viewer on to the channel now, if you wish—I will ignore it until the program that you are on appears. Optimus Prime—**_you_** shall get me some Energon, as I had a long trip and need more fuel!” He said, firmly, glaring at the former Autobot Leader.

“All right, Storm and I will be back in a few hours,” Rodimus chuckled. “Sorry, Optimus—just try and relax,” he murmured to the red-and-blue Autobot with a light chuckle, patting the former Autobot Leader’s shoulder.

The trip to the television station was short, it was only a few miles into Portland from where Metroplex was stationed in the Cascades area. Rodimus Prime viewed the outdoor pavilion where the episode would be filmed—as it would be rather unlikely he could be comfortable on the television show’s human-sized set. Stormbreaker woke up from her nap-cycle, looking around at everything with awe, making small little murmurs, mostly to herself.

The host of the show, a middle-aged Latina woman with long black hair and dark brown eyes was speaking to some of her staff over on the large constructed stage and pavilion. Lainie Ramirez was simply known as “_Lainie_” to her fans and the broadcast world. She was a massive philanthropist and humanitarian. Her show tackled social issues and the interviews with well-known personalities were always very relaxed and casual.

Rodimus Prime and his daughter, Stormbreaker, were probably the largest catch she would ever make this year—since Rodimus had made it clear to a lot of media outlets that his time was limited with all the duties and restructuring of the Autobot Command Chain, as well as his obligations to the Galactic Alliance. The flame-colored mech’s choice to go on Lainie’s show was purely a goodwill ambassadorial act. He wanted to explain to the Earthlings that the Autobots were still invested in their planet, that the command chain restructure would not leave Earth friendless or defenseless………..and that Optimus Prime would still be their liaison with the Autobots, as he’d be semi-permanently stationed here on Earth. The best way to do this would be on a show like Lainie’s, which would reach more viewers than a traditional news broadcast. 

The flame-colored mech walked over to the talk show host, smiling as she turned away from her staff and waved a hand in greeting.

“Stormbreaker, can you say _‘hi’_ to Lainie?” Rodimus Prime asked, looking down into his femmeling’s faceplate.

“_Hiiiiiiii!_” The red-colored femmeling squealed, looking and waving down at the human woman cheerfully.

“Hello, Stormbreaker!” Lainie greeted cheerfully. “Rodimus Prime, I truly appreciate you accepting my offer to be on my show!” She added, smiling up at the young Autobot Leader.

“One thing I’m aware of that some of the others aren’t is how many humans would watch a show like yours over a news broadcast—and the part that social media plays in society,” the flame-colored mech said. “Everything I would like to say might be heard by more people on a show like yours, as opposed to simply making a PR broadcast. It’s my goal, one day, to get everyone in the universe to understand that we Transformers are not very different than they are……..we have hopes, dreams, lives and love.”

“_And children_,” Lainie chuckled, brushing some strands of hair back from her face. In an instant, her hair and makeup specialist was up on the stage with brushes and sprays to get the stray wisps of hair caught back away from her face.

“So far, though, only Galvatron and I have the abilities to do it,” Rodimus Prime said. “But one day, our kind might have the ability and programming to do so once again, as our ancestors once had.” He set Stormbreaker down by his pedes and she plopped right down onto her aft to play with her Red Panda plush, giggling as she talked to it in Cybertronian. “Galvatron says he’s going to watch, so………..we _may_ want to be careful what we say about him,” the flame-colored mech chuckled softly.

“Is he _that sensitive_?” The Latina woman asked, curiously.

“_Galvatron is Galvatron_…………and sometimes it’s really hard to tell what he’ll let go and what he’ll be offended by,” Rodimus Prime laughed, placing his hands on his hips. “There’s really no defining Galvatron, to be honest. I’m a lot better than others at predicting him, but even I’m not perfect at it.”

Just then, some of Lainie’s stage staff started giving her cues to get ready to go live. So, the woman quickly explained the format for the live show and then they all went over to the seating area under the makeshift pavilion on the stage.

“Now, Stormbreaker—we’re going to be sitting and talking for a while, it’ll be a little boring, but if you want to play with your other kitty, you can talk to it very quietly, all right?” Rodimus said to his little femmeling.

“Okay, cari!” She said, excitedly, getting comfortable on the chair that she climbed up on.

There was no seating for Rodimus Prime on the stage, but he’d already said he wouldn’t mind sitting crosslegged next to the host seating and a chair for Stormbreaker, who was the size of a teenage human anyways. Soon the cues for silence were given and the show began its live broadcast. Lainie spoke about a few things before introducing Rodimus Prime and Stormbreaker and then everyone settled in for the focus of the show itself.

This particular broadcast, due to the outdoor setting and need for better silence for the microphones—there was no live audience, as the typical studio broadcasts of the show had. For the segment that would normally have had questions from the audience, Lainie had done a survey online of her fans and chosen five questions from them for the segment, questions that would differ from her own set of questions for the show.

For the first fifteen minutes of the show, she let Rodimus Prime say everything he’d wanted to come onto the show to say—about the change of leadership for the Autobots and a succinct “_why_”. He said that Optimus Prime would be the administrative arm here on Earth for the Autobots, because Earth was so familiar with him. Ultra Magnus would administrate things on Cybertron and then Rodimus Prime himself would be working on various peacekeeping/peaceforging projects for the Galactic Alliance—which Earth was also a part of, now, too. He briefly spoke about the ceasefire accords, now having gotten past a decade of their enactment and given the Transformers a real hope for long-lasting peace between their kind. He explained the needs of the Autobots versus the Decepticons and how it was likely the conflict of these needs helped cause and escalate the war. And he briefly spoke of Galvatron’s desire for an empire and that was his primary goal—not specifically war.

“All right, this question from our viewers comes from Mary in Utah,” Lainie said, looking at the tablet in her hand with her interview materials. “Mary would like to ask about your children—and how they’re educated?”

“That’s a very interesting question,” Rodimus chuckled. “Because sparklings are not everywhere, as children are in your society, it isn’t like we have a school for them. _Newmechs_ or _newfemmes_—as we call those who come out of Vector Sigma’s forging chamber—come out pre-programmed with the knowledge they basically need, since they’re _‘born as adults’_. So, with Novablaze and Stormbreaker……..we’ve kinda been winging it, really.” He reached down and rubbed Stormbreaker’s helm fondly. She purred with happiness. “Novablaze very impressively learned languages quickly by speaking them and having grown up watching the Earth children’s program _‘Fuzzy Fiesta’_, which he absolutely loved, but we realized a bit later in life he didn’t know Cybertronian glyphs or how to read them. We spoke with the company that created this show and asked if we could do a special Cybertronian language track for educational purposes and we were allowed to. After that, Nova learned glyphs really fast—although he’s still trying to learn everyone’s designation-glyphs, those are our names. Designation-glyphs combine two or three existing glyphs into one, to represent a name—these are absolutely unique to every individual. My designation-glyph comes from the glyphs for _‘heat’_ and _‘speed’_, and my original designation was _‘Hot Rod’_.”

“Now that you’ve learned from your firstborn on education, what will you do for Stormbreaker?” Lainie asked, prompting the continuation of the question from the viewer.

“Storm has been incredibly adaptable, like Nova she’s learned to speak languages quickly. She has some human friends on Athenia and wanted to speak English to talk to them, so she tried hard to learn it quickly,” the young, flame-colored mech chuckled warmly. “But while Nova has proven to be highly intelligent and very straightforward-thinking, Storm seems a bit more creative. My human friend, Daniel Witwicky, and her two new human children friends showed her _‘finger-painting’_ and she’s really shown a great love for such creativity.”

“Human children are a lot like that—there are the smart, mathematical genius children and there are the musically or artistically inclined children,” Lainie said, nodding up at him.

“So, as far as education goes—we’re adapting to the situations presented and the needs and wants of our children. Novablaze is now being trained and educated by Galvatron and his lieutenant, Cyclonus. The thing to remember is that Autobots and Decepticons have different programs and protocols in their systems and the Decepticons _need to fight things_. So, Nova has had a bit of that warrior’s need in his growing programming and Galvatron’s much better to train him than I am, as far as that goes,” Rodimus Prime continued, motioning with his servos as he spoke. “When Storm gets older and we see what her needs are, then we’ll determine more about her education. She may want to learn glyphs sooner, because her creativity sparks that, Cybertronian glyphs are truly an art form of itself.”

“I think, as parents, we all wing it a little bit when it comes to our childrens’ needs,” the Latina woman chuckled warmly. “We’ll take a commercial break and be right back with your questions and more of Rodimus Prime and his daughter, Stormbreaker!” After the cue for the 3-minute break was given, Rodimus turned to Stormbreaker and gave her a small can of Energon to drink. Lainie chuckled as she watched the femmeling grip the can with both servos and drink it all as quickly as she could, with some of the lavender-pink fluid dribbling from the corners of her mouth and her chin…………Rodimus just as easily cleaned her up with a cloth from a subspace pocket as any mom would her child. “We’re getting ready to return to the show. Are we all doing okay?”

“I’m good!” Stormbreaker interjected, nodding her head vigorously.

“_Yep_, I think we’re both good,” Rodimus responded with a grin.

The cue came for the return to the show after the commercial break.

“And we’re back with our special guests, Rodimus Prime and Stormbreaker!” Lainie said, cheerfully, looking towards the cameras. “Stormbreaker, I’d like to ask you a question. You have a plush from the children’s show that Rodimus mentioned, _‘Fuzzy Fiesta’_—have you named your plush?” She asked, pointing to the Red Panda in the femmeling’s servos.

“Oh, this is **_other kitty_**! Stormy gave _kitty_ to sire before leaving Chaar!” The femmeling said proudly.

“She does know it’s a Red Panda now, but when she first got it and she still didn’t know a lot of Earth words…………she called it _‘other kitty’_ to differentiate it from the grey tiger-cat plush _‘kitty’_ she used to have. She gave the _‘kitty’_ to Galvatron as a gift when we left Chaar,” Rodimus explained, reaching down and fondly rubbing her helm. She purred happily and hugged her Red Panda plush tightly.

“Well, let’s move on to the next audience question. It’s coming from a viewer all the way out in Toronto, Canada named David,” Lainie said, looking down at her tablet. “David wants to ask you, Rodimus, why did you choose Galvatron—of all Transformers?”

“Like _that’s_ not a loaded question right there!” Rodimus Prime laughed, warmly. “To be honest, **_he_** chose me…………and I fell for him after that. Compared to many Transformers, I’m fairly young, a bit closer to forty years old now, but I was barely thirty then. I had a very rough time when I was a newmech and I felt like I never really fit in anywhere. During the war, all other Autobots had their groups and camaraderies and I wasn’t a part of any of them. I felt alone and isolated and then the heritage object we Autobots treasure chose me to come after Optimus Prime—and I felt like I was always being compared to him.”

Rodimus gave a deep sigh and shook his head softly.

“I don’t want to go into a lot of dark and depressing details, but I was at my worst and my lowest and Galvatron was the only one who saw me as worthy of anything—to him, I was the Autobot Leader and his eternal rival,” the flame-colored mech explained in as brief a manner as he could. “It may be the strangest way to start a relationship, but he was the first one who believed in me even when I couldn’t bring myself to believe in me. Because I had someone who believed in me, I wanted to start believing in myself, too. And that was the start of our relationship. There are many details I can’t possibly say on a program like this—for privacy or for adult content—but suffice it to say, the more often I was around Galvatron, the better we made each other. Our children show we have an eternal bond to one another, no matter what paths our lives take or how often we don’t really get to see each other anymore. I’m here today, because Galvatron believed in my skills and my strengths…………..and Galvatron’s on a more solid foundation to his empire because of some of my guidance that I’ve given to him over the years.”

“That’s a very interesting dynamic to a relationship—not quite forged of love or of necessity, but as a part of a solid foundation for one another’s lives. How does Galvatron feel about you, in return?” Lainie asked, expounding on the original question.

“_That’s _also a really rather loaded question, too. Galvatron is a reformatted mech—his frame was once another Transformer’s, which was remolded and reformatted by the world devourer, Unicron. But Galvatron never desired to serve Unicron and took command of the Decepticons in his own way, after Unicron was dealt with,” Rodimus Prime said, simplifying it as much as he could. “In his reformatting, he’s lost some of the softer and kinder emotions that most of us Transformers have, instead, he has very honest emotions in the way he treats everybody. Being called his _‘treasure’_ is actually far deeper and much more important than being told he loves me.” Then the young, flame-colored mech chuckled softly. “His straightforward honesty means he _won’t_ be a very good diplomat though, if he doesn’t like you……he’s not afraid to tell you that to your face.”

“I suppose that’s what he has you and his staff for,” Lainie laughed warmly. “That brings me to my next question—why choose a track of diplomacy for your career?” She asked, looking up at him.

“Ah, good—**_this_** is one I really wanted to answer!” Rodimus said, excitedly. He began to go into his longing to see a more “_harmonious_” setting in the universe. He wanted to work hard for everyone, so that people could interact with each other and set aside petty conflicts and wars. He felt he was good at this, because he could interact with Galvatron and the Decepticons and got the ceasefire accords out of that.

Rodimus appreciated the sheer variety of the questions from the audience survey as well as what Lainie asked, herself—she balanced out the questions with personal ones as well as professional ones. It showed her skill as a talk show host and interviewer. Soon the show was wrapping up and then over. Rodimus Prime stayed to chat for a little bit with Lainie and the crew, then he headed back to Metroplex with Stormbreaker soon enough.

“It was a very good interview,” Galvatron said as he and several Autobots met him in the lobby area of Metroplex’s interior. “Your flame continues to burn brightly, of this I am very proud.”

The Autobots gathered murmured and said kind words which didn’t come to the level of Galvatron’s, of course, but were welcome accolades all the same. Rodimus Prime set down Stormbreaker and she began tearing about the lobby with her Red Panda, still brimming over with energy and excitement.

“It is hard to believe that when you were both on Chaar, still, she was still trying to master the skill of walking—now she _clearly_ has command of her pedes. As well as plenty of energy, which very much claims her as _your offspring_, my Prime,” Galvatron chuckled, standing next to Rodimus and watching their sparkling run around the room, swerving around Autobot legs as they walked around her. “Now I shall make good on my promise to my little princess…………come here, my Stormbreaker—_your sire wishes your attention_!” the powerful Leader of the Decepticons said in his most commanding of tones—softened only by his fondness for his offspring.

Stormbreaker immediately stopped running all over the place and ran directly to him, mewling happily and jumping up and down in front of him. Galvatron picked her up by the nape of her neck and placed her in the crook of his arm—though she was beginning to get a little too big for being held this way by anyone except her powerful sire. Even Rodimus Prime had to hold onto her with both arms now.

“Now, my lovely little one—you and I shall spend the remainder of the day doing whatever it is that you wish to do with your sire,” Galvatron said, firmly, gazing down at her. “However, once it comes time for evening recharge—the time after that shall belong to your carrier and you will go to sleep with whatever guardian you choose to watch over you while I claim Rodimus Prime’s time for the rest of the night. Do you agree to this my little Stormbreaker?” He asked, keeping his tone even and neutral.

“_Okay, sire_,” Stormbreaker cooed, purring as she burrowed her face against his chestplate lovingly.

“Now, you are dismissed, my Prime,” Galvatron said, staring at his flame-colored lover. “My Stormbreaker, tell me what it is you wish to entertain your sire with for the rest of the day………..” he trailed off, carrying her as they walked into the depths of Metroplex.

Rodimus Prime gazed after them both, very fondly. He was glad it was all working out…….even distance didn’t change the relationship he or his children had with one another—the bonds were still as strong as they were when they all lived on Chaar together. And Galvatron did not cherish Stormbreaker any less with the distance—she was still his treasured little princess.


	12. Nothing But Regrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Firebolt--now known as Firedrive--contemplates his situation as a servant of the Telosian scientist, Hala Jurel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Super-short, this is a companion to "Heroic Rescues" to give a little background to the Battle Masters. First mention of the "apocalypse"...……..basically this new series arc is going to be a lead-up to the new Golden Age, if you haven't picked up on that already, just as the ending of season 4's "The Rebirth" was. :)
> 
> So, uh, welcome to "Transformers G1: Season 4" everyone. XD

_ Chapter Twelve: Nothing But Regret _

Firebolt woke from recharge with a start, his servos went immediately to his neck and he felt the collar was still there. _It was all a dream and **nothing** had changed_. That meant he was no longer “_Firebolt_” either—his new designation was “_Firedrive_”. That also meant that of the twenty that originally were with him………only **_five_** of them were left. No, wait…….**_six_**—Fracas wasn’t dead yet. He’d missed his chance to find the one called Rodimus Prime over a decade ago, on Telos.

That had been the disaster that had led to the destruction of his crew. Those that died in the surprise assault on the third moon of Telos. He’d underestimated the rogue Telosian scientist, Hala Jurel. He’d underestimated the organic’s alliance with the Destrons. It was a massive confluence of errors, all because Firebolt—_as he’d been known back then_—had been excited that he’d finally be able to find one of the ones Vector Sigma sent him out to find.

A soft warbling came from his left and the small black-and-grey mech looked over to see a familiar blue-grey with black-colored mech, about the same size as him. It was _Haywire_—nay, now his name was “_Hyperfire_”. Firedrive was frustrated that Jurel renamed most of them, simply to show his dominance over his Mini-Con slaves. What’s done was done, however………_and now there was nothing but regrets_.

“What’s wrong, Hyperfire?” Firedrive asked carefully, swinging his pedes over the edge of the small and uncomfortable berth and looking at his companion with great concern. “You need to use Telosian or galactic standard, Jurel won’t stand for it if you keep reverting to our natural language.”

Hyperfire sighed and kept warbling, shaking his head and motioning with his servos. It seemed that Fracas’ Spark had finally given out sometime during Firedrive’s recharge cycle. The blue-grey with black-colored mech was clearly distraught, he couldn’t concentrate enough to use the words of either of the two languages that Hala Jurel commanded them to speak in at all times.

Now there _really were_ only five of them left. _Firedrive, Hyperfire, Smashdown, Caliburst and Blastwave_. Firedrive reached over and pulled the weeping Hyperfire against him, wishing more than anything he could use his EM field to soothe his long-time companion/friend/lover. The collars and the herbal drugs, the “_blockers_”, kept all of them from using the things that made them Cybertronian and was unique among many species……….the EM field (to convey emotions), the ability to use communiques (audial contact) and glyph-messaging (text contact). Interfacing was much less enjoyable to any of them without their EM fields anymore. And Firedrive had stopped using even data-interfacing with anyone he used to be close to in his crew, _including Hyperfire_—mainly so that he would not worry them with all the suffering within his own systems.

Hyperfire warbled something soft, looking up into Firedrive’s faceplate. The small mech reached up and placed his servos on the sides of the grey-and-black mech’s faceplate. The Battle Master Mini-Con commander sighed softly and planted a kiss lightly on the top of the mech’s helm.

“Not now, love. I’m probably going to be summoned any moment now. I need you to start speaking either Telosian or galactic standard, Hyperfire—I _don’t_ want you to be punished so quickly after we’ve just lost Fracas,” Firedrive said, softly.

As he’d just predicted, Hala Jurel’s voice came over the intercom speaker next to Firedrive’s berth. The Telosian scientist was summoning him to the laboratory right away. He stood up, bringing Hyperfire to his pedes as well.

“Now, let me hear you use your vocalizer for more than our language,” Firedrive said, firmly, cupping one side of the other small mech’s faceplate with a gentle touch.

“Don’t like to, Firebolt,” Hyperfire mumbled, his vocalizer a bit static-filled with the change to a language harsher on his vocalizer than their natural language.

“_I know_. And address me by what my designation is now, okay? I really don’t want you getting in trouble and getting hurt,” Firedrive responded, brushing digits lightly along the other mech’s jawline.

“I **_hate_** this, Firedrive………..I hate it so much and I miss everyone,” Hyperfire muttered, reaching a servo up and clasping the grey-and-black mech’s own.

“I know. I do, too. We’re stuck now, we can only hope something will change, soon enough,” Firedrive responded, leaning over and gently kissing Hyperfire’s forehead tenderly. “Be strong and remember to be respectful to Jurel.”

Hyperfire muttered and nodded, then Firedrive made his way to the laboratory.

“You’re late, I expected you five minutes ago,” Hala Jurel snapped.

“My apologies. I had trouble getting up from recharge,” Firedrive said, dipping his shoulders respectfully.

_Play the game and wait your turn_. That was the greatest lesson that Firebolt—now Firedrive—had learned since they fell into this dark trap years ago. He did his best to take the majority of punishments for his crew of Battle Masters, though he couldn’t take everyone’s punishments………..Jurel wouldn’t let him do that. That was why, out of a crew of twenty……..there were now only five left.

“We’re increasing the potency of the _Corodine_ today, adding malanure and dryfel in one granule amounts to every fifteen ounces,” the Telosian scientist said in brief, walking between tables filled to the corners with beakers and scanning equipment. “Starscream requested this particular mixture, because it uses ingredients found on Quar’tal and the natives use dryfel in many of their recreational drugs.”

Firedrive made a small affirmative sound. Starscream…………..former Second-in-Command of the Decepticons and now the leader of his own brutal force calling themselves Destrons. Starscream had begun seeking allies amongst renegades of other races—scientists, warriors……….anyone who could benefit his cause of building up his army and eventually conquering Cybertron.

That was what Vector Sigma created the Battle Master line of the Mini-Cons for—to prevent the apocalypse that Starscream was going to cause in his bid for Cybertron. That was what the Master Programmer sent Firebolt and the others out into the universe for—to find the Autobots and Decepticons out there who could help stop this apocalypse. There were two other ships of Battle Masters somewhere out in the universe. The one who was once called “_Firebolt_”, now called “_Firedrive_”, could only hope that they had fared better than the _Iron Fleur_.

“Master, I was given a report that Fracas’ Spark gave out overnight,” Firedrive said, casually, as he assisted the scientist in mixing the concoctions.

“None have proven as durable as you, Firedrive,” Jurel sighed, concentrating on the beaker in front of him. “I suppose you want to have a ridiculous ceremony for your fallen one, as usual?” He sighed, making a dismissive wave at the grey-and-black mech.

“Master, it’s part of our culture. It’s better for morale if we follow our ways—if you’ll allow us to follow our ways—whenever we can,” Firedrive responded softly.

“Oh, very well then,” the Telosian scientist grumbled. “I have to converse with my market dealers tonight anyways and won’t need any assistance for that. For now, though……….” he trailed off.

Firedrive nodded and focused on the remainder of the day with the cyborged-Telosian scientist. Hyperfire was better at Spark Sendoffs than he was, so he’d ask the mech to take care of things and lead the ceremony tonight for the five of them remaining.

_For now, he’d hold himself back and play the waiting game—and hope for a heroic rescue any day now._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm glad I looked on the wiki before writing this to find out Haywire's design...……..because it reminded me he, too, got a new name with the Titans Return line. XD Though I altered his color scheme somewhere between the G1 look and the Masterpiece/later editions looks...………..


	13. Love or Devotion or Something Else?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rodimus Prime and Ultra Magnus have a really strange epiphany.

_ Chapter Thirteen: Love or Devotion or Something Else? _

“Why aren’t you going to call Galvatron over this?” Ultra Magnus snapped, grabbing the Pretender shell of the Monstercon, spinning on a pede and slamming the insect-looking thing to the ground.

“For one, _Starscream’s not here_,” Rodimus said, bracing his rifle on his shoulder and taking aim at the Destron speeder that was blanket-bombing Iacon. “Galvatron would give his best Galvatron-frown and say: _‘Can you Autobots not handle a couple of Destrons on your own?!’_—come on, Magnus, do you want him to say **_that_** to us one more time?” The young Autobot Leader laughed warmly, piercing a few shots into the speeder’s side.

“_Nggh_,” the old soldier grunted, pushing the Pretender monster even further into the ground, making a huge dent into the metal surface of Cybertron. Personally, the Autobots’ Second-in-Command was happy that Rodimus Prime was not going to call Galvatron on this Destron skirmish. He didn’t want to have to compete for……..

“_H—hey……..stop!_” The Monstercon whined as Ultra Magnus pushed him about three-feet deep into the metal surface of Cybertron. “_You’ve fragging cracked my shell!_” He cried, his EM field starting to leak out of the Pretender shell—and it was full of fear.

“Yeah, come on Magnus—you’ve rearranged his faceplate _totally_, how about giving him back to that traitorous Greatshot so they can retreat?” The flame-colored mech chuckled, reaching over to pat his friend’s shoulder.

Ultra Magnus gave another uncharacteristic grunt and pulled the Pretender monster out of the hole in the metal surface of Cybertron and then threw him at one of the other Monstercons in battle. They collided rather comedically and rolled away. It wasn’t long after, with the Autobots very carefully making sure the six Monstercons never had a chance to discard their Pretender shells and combine into Monstructor, Greatshot called a retreat to the small group of Destron forces.

“What’s wrong with you, Magnus? I’ve _never_ seen you so riled up as you have been lately,” Rodimus Prime said, kindly, placing a servo on his Second’s shoulder pillar. “I’m sorry I’ve had to leave you to dothings a lot more lately, but……….”

All of the sudden, **_it happened_**—and a lot faster than Ultra Magnus wanted to control or that Rodimus Prime even expected. The old soldier grabbed the flame-colored mech’s shoulders and pressed his lips hard to the younger Autobot’s lips. It was a desperate, rough kiss—full of a longing that rippled a little in Ultra Magnus’s EM field, before he pulled it in and pulled away and transformed into his alt mode, zooming off before Rodimus could even regain his wits.

Rodimus stared after his Second-in-Command and reached a servo up to his lips in surprise. “Wait……so, is _that_ what all this has been about? Magnus is……….kinda jealous of my…….._of Galvatron_?” He murmured, softly, looking down at the ground. He saw the massive hole made by the old soldier pushing the Monstercon into the ground and realized it was bringing up Galvatron which put Magnus into a mood.

Every mention of Galvatron’s designation………..every single time the Decepticon Leader just randomly showed up………..Ultra Magnus would grunt and grumble and retreat. _When did this all happen?_

“Rodimus, we’ve got a lot to clean up here! Where’s Magnus?” Hot Spot shouted as he waved a servo in the young Autobot Leader’s direction.

“Hot Spot, _you’re_ in charge of cleanup, I’m going after Magnus—I think he’s got an injury!” Rodimus Prime called back. It wasn’t a complete lie—the injury was probably more Spark-related than actual physical injury. He transformed into his alt mode and drove off in the direction that Ultra Magnus went—hoping it wouldn’t be too hard to find him.

_It wasn’t hard, but_…………..

“Wow, Magnus……..you’ve really driven a long, long way,” Rodimus mumbled as he found himself somewhere out past Kesia, but not quite all the way out to the ruins of Kaon. “Oh, this is **_Solon_**—I remember the records of this place. It was a city renowned for its fighters way back during the First Golden Age. They put on martial arts tournaments and trained mechs and femmes in combat arts!” The young Autobot chuckled as he slowed down and used his scanners to look for Ultra Magnus down in the ruins. “_Hey! Magnus! It’s your wonderful leader! Come on out! I won’t bite!_” Rodimus called as he transformed back into his primary mode and started walking around.

The old Autobot soldier clearly wasn’t going to respond. Rodimus Prime sighed softly and stopped where he was. He opened up his EM field and then opened his senses increased by his bond with the Matrix of Leadership—he looked for the familiar feel of Ultra Magnus’ EM field. Unlike other Autobot Leaders, the young flame-colored mech had a very special bond with the Matrix. And once………._just once_……….Ultra Magnus had held the Matrix of Leadership. Rodimus looked for the feel of “_Ultra Magnus_” using the memories of what the Matrix remembered Ultra Magnus feeling like.

Looking that way, it didn’t take him long to find his friend—and the old soldier was clearly surprised when confronted by the flame-colored mech.

“_Sooooooooo_……….do we stand here awkwardly or do we actually talk about it?” Rodimus laughed. He reached over and gently placed a servo to the back of Ultra Magnus’ neck, pulling their heads together to rest their helms fondly against one another.

“I’m not really certain I know _what_ I should be talking about, to tell the truth, Rodimus,” the red-white-blue mech said softly. He felt very confused with the younger mech showing such warmth and kindness in his field.

“When did you start liking me…….._like this_? Like you kinda **_want_** me?” Rodimus Prime asked, pulling away and then pulling them both to sit down in the ruins, side-by-side with one another.

Ultra Magnus sighed deeply and leaned back against whatever part of a structure was behind him. “I don’t know exactly when it became as_…….consuming _as this…….but, I think it started when you were carrying Stormbreaker. You were calling me so often and it reminded me of how clingy you were carrying Novablaze and I found I actually didn’t mind you clinging like that,” the older mech murmured, offlining his optics and focusing on trying to keep calm.

Then the old soldier onlined his optics and looked over at Rodimus and reached up a servo to place the palm gently on the side of the flame-colored mech’s faceplate.

“But I know you love Galvatron and……….I have no right to push my way into _that _relationship,” Ultra Magnus said, firmly, but then he gave a Spark-wrenching sigh.

“I thought it was something like that,” Rodimus responded, placing a servo over Magnus’ on his faceplate. “Look, let’s talk about something that Galvatron’s been griping and griping and griping to me about for years.”

Rodimus moved closer to Magnus, so that their shoulders were snugly touching each other.

“So, Galvatron’s been on my case to not let my sex-drive fail, _blah-blah-blah_…………**_frag someone_**, he says and says and says to me—practically every time we talk to each other and frag ourselves silly,” the young Autobot Leader chuckled warmly. “Yeah, I **_love_** Galvatron and he’s my sparkmate. Galvatron, himself, also treasures me as much as he is able to—he has claimed my Spark. But to Galvatron—our Spark-bond is something _absolutely different_ than interfacing. He actually chides me every single time for equating the two of them.”

“Most couples _don’t_ say to go and find other frag-partners,” Ultra Magnus grunted with annoyance. “And I am **_not_** interested in merely becoming a frag-partner, Rodimus………so, I hope that’s not where this conversation leads.”

“To old grumpy-aft Galvatron, that’s _exactly_ where the conversation leads,” the flame-colored mech chuckled, sliding his servo against Magnus’ and hoping to clasp servos. It took a few seconds of hesitation before the old soldier acceded to the servo-holding. “But to you and me, I think it can mean something _different_. Whatever we can find together, it _wouldn’t _be what Galvatron and I have………and you’d have to accept that **_Galvatron is my sparkmate_**, no matter what.” Rodimus Prime squeezed Ultra Magnus’ servo warmly. “Earthlings have a thing called _‘friends with benefits’_ and while it generally means a friend willing to frag with you, no expectations attached, we can adjust that concept to suit what it is we want.”

“And what do _‘we’_ want, because I’m not sure our _‘wants’_ are actually aligned, here,” the Autobots’ Second-in-Command grumbled softly.

“I think **_that’s_** what we have to figure out. I’ve had a long-time crush on you, Magnus—and, honestly, if I had to find a _‘frag-buddy’_, I’d choose you over a million mechs or femmes,” the young Autobot Leader murmured, laying his head against Magnus’ shoulder pillar. “There’s plenty of time, though. It’s not like we have to rush into anything. We can talk about it a lot more before actually coming to a decision on what our relationship _could be_. Just know, I’m open to pretty much anything, as long as it’s a mutual decision.”

“That’s true. We can discuss it more. I apologize that I made things awkward by running off like that,” Ultra Magnus apologized, wrapping his arm around Rodimus and holding him close. He relaxed and his EM field settled down into a normal, neutral state.

“I told people you were injured and I was coming to help you—so, just don’t burst out into a terrible bout of the truth when we get back to Iacon,” Rodimus Prime laughed, accepting the partial-hug and then pulled away to get to his pedes. “If we want to figure out what it is we’re looking for in each other, we’ll have to be patient and see where it goes, right? But at least you know, as long as we don’t cross the line of mine and Galvatron’s Spark-bond—there’s an openness to my relationship with him that I’m actually _allowed to exploit_, okay?” He added, reaching a servo down to help his friend and Second-in-Command to his pedes.

Ultra Magnus gave a wry smile and accepted the servo. They looked at each other in silence for a long moment and then walked out of the ruins of Solon and transformed into their vehicle modes to drive back to Iacon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got two "shorter" writings out on my long weekend off from work. Time to focus on the final chapter of "Talent Night" and the next GalvaRod story, "History's Imprint".


	14. My First Kiss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rodimus Prime finally gets the questions all parents dread getting from their children, as Novablaze starts asking about intimacy and relationships. And Novablaze starts to see just how complicated his carrier's life has always been.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I bring up the movie events and try to look at them in a way that bridges into season 3. And eventually, I'm going to go into the story of Ultra Magnus--that's going to be a future chapter here. As of this story, we're going to start jumping back-and-forth during the 5-year-gap, it won't be as chronological as it has been so far. :)

_ Chapter Fourteen: My First Kiss _

Time moved on and years passed, but before Rodimus Prime was scheduled to return to Earth and Athenia to start a new adventure and take along a particular human boy……..he had a Spark-to-Spark talk with his growing eldest offspring about love and romance and finding a mate one day in the Autobot Embassy on Chaar. By this time, Novablaze had _just_ turned thirteen—his frame had gone few a couple more growth changes and, as was noted by recent medical checkups, his interface array had begun developing towards maturity. It was looking more and more like the mechling would be like Galvatron (and, incidentally, also like the other sparkling currently living on Chaar and was an adult—Dai Atlas), he would _only_ have the spike function in his interface array, plus the aft opening all Cybertronians had.

It left great curiosity for the medics to think that, as they had learned Windblade (the other adult sparkling) only had a valve function, plus the aft opening……….that perhaps eventually Stormbreaker would be like much like Windblade was. The delineation between a mech and femme, born through this particular system, seemed much closer to an organic’s biological systems—perhaps that was what the Quintessonian design was originally based upon? However, the Quintessons did not have specific genders either (and only generally used “_male_” for identification purposes) and possibly that’s why their original generic designs were a standard form and they delineated the capabilities between the two different brands, instead of doing so by genders.

“Cari………_ummm_, can I talk to you? **_Ummm_**. _Alone_ and stuff, okay?” Novablaze asked, coming up to Rodimus Prime in the lobby seating area of the embassy.

The young Autobot Leader was sitting around, talking with visitors to the embassy and the young mech had waited patiently for an opening in which he could get his carrier’s attention. At the moment, Stormbreaker was careening around, following either Windblade or Slipstream as they walked around, working on the embassy’s main floors, so Rodimus had just sat down to relax.

“Sure, Nova—let’s go up to your room,” the flame-colored mech chuckled, reaching over and fondly rubbing his mechling’s helm.

The two of them walked upstairs to the third floor, where the habitation suites were and went to Novablaze’s room—which was what had formerly been Hot Rod and the sparklings’ shared room when they all lived on Chaar together. It was hard to believe that had already been almost five years ago, now! Novablaze hopped up onto his berth as Rodimus Prime pulled a chair close to it and sat down. The room looked very much like his sparkling’s own personal territory now, rather than how it looked when the two sparklings were both little and it was a shared room.

“Cari…………how do you know when you’re _in love_? And all that other stuff?” Novablaze groaned, offlining his optics and just laying all spread out on his berth.

“_Ah. Yeah_. That’s what I was wondering about—when you’d want to ask _these kinds_ of questions……..and just **_who _**you’d ask to get answers,” Rodimus chuckled softly. “You………you didn’t try to ask Galvatron first, did you?” The flame-colored mech asked, belatedly realizing Novablaze could’ve already asked his sire and gotten a convoluted or raunchy answer that wasn’t actually helpful at all.

“_Nooooooo_. Sire’s…………I mean I _know_ his emotions aren’t like ours,” Novablaze sighed, softly.

“_Oh, good. **Good**_. I was worried at what he might tell you since his whole view on relationships isn’t what the average Cybertronian views them as,” the flame-colored mech chuckled. “I didn’t exactly have a great relationship…….? A proper one? _Mmmmm_………there’s no way to answer that well. I guess my relationship with Magnus is the most **_normal_** relationship I’ve ever had, but things are complicated because Galvatron is my bonded and my sparkmate and……….._well, it’s complicated_.”

“Sire says **_you’re_** just complicated,” Novablaze laughed, finally sitting up and onlining his optics to look at his carrier.

“He’s right about _that_. Nova, I know we’ve held back on telling you about the Autobots and Decepticons and war, but now you know about that from the historical texts and documents…….and I hope that having me or Galvatron as your parents doesn’t bias you one way or another. The Decepticons did a lot of bad things, but the Autobots did a lot of bad things too—war is difficult for _everyone_. And while your sire loves to fight, war isn’t what he’s really looking for—merely opponents to _fight_,” Rodimus Prime began gently. “It’s _different_. None of us, nobody wants war—but the Decepticons’ natural programming is to fight and defend. The Autobots’ natural programming is to comfort and interact. Our programming is _just different_ and unfortunately sometimes it was taken to the extreme. Desperation for Energon was one of many factors that began the crisis which escalated into war…………desperation and Megatron’s desire for conquest.”

“But sire has some of _that_, too. He wants to conquer and rule things,” Novablaze asked, tilting his head a bit puzzled as he looked over at his carrier.

“Yes, but it can be _directed_. The primary thing Galvatron truly wants is for the Decepticons to be _the greatest in the universe_—unfortunately he has a very limited grasp of how to do that, it’s way too easy to just fall back on the conquest angle,” Rodimus explained, leaning forwards and resting his elbows on his knee-joints. “Show everyone how great you are by dominating them is his method of things………….._aaaaaaaaaaaaaaand_ we went far off the topic of your original question,” he said, laughing warmly. “Love and how you know if you’re in love.”

“_Yeah_,” the young purple-and-yellow mech replied, nodding at his carrier. But he gave a light chuckle. Rodimus Prime clearly enjoyed discussing Galvatron and his points—both good and bad and how he was improving upon them. So, Novablaze knew just how much his carrier loved his sire—despite distance and other relationships between them. “Can you love _more than one person_? Do you remain loyal to another if you love them? Is it **_eternal_**?” The mechling asked, rubbing the edges of his pedes anxiously.

“It’s a difficult question to answer. I think love is eternal and can be true, but I also think you can love more than one person, as well. I think love can be _leveled_, too. I think you can love someone to a ten and you can love someone at a level of two—if that makes sense? There’s also family love, friendship love and passionate love,” the young Autobot Leader said carefully, looking at his mechling very seriously. “The loyalty comes with the strength of your love, I think. Galvatron saved me and he has made me a very great mech—_he believed in me, when no other did_. When I didn’t even believe in myself. I love him with **_all_** of my Spark and program……..both you and Storm are living proof of my love and loyalty to Galvatron. _I love him to a ten_.”

Novablaze chuckled at the warmth in his carrier’s voice and his field. “But you are, **_um_**, _dating_ Ultra Magnus now, too……….?” He asked.

“My relationship with Magnus is different—it’s built on respect and companionship. Our relationship is maybe a six or seven. We can part ways if we need to and Magnus understands my Spark belongs to Galvatron, as much as he personally dislikes the idea,” Rodimus Prime chuckled softly. “That’s another thing…….Spark-bonding is _never necessary_ for a good, true and fulfilling relationship. Keep in mind, a Spark-bonding **_is_** eternal and once you do that, there’s no turning back. Do not ever merely jump into a Spark-bonding………_not like I did_………..think about it very hard and decide if you want to spend eternity with the feel of another swirling around in your Spark.” Rodimus placed his servos together and twined his fingers together. “I am **_not_** a good example of forging a relationship, Novablaze—_not by any means_. I was very young and everyone I tried to make friends with or forge bonds with rather set me aside……….and, in all honesty, if Galvatron _hadn’t_ been knocked to the planet Thrull and suffered his processor damage, I’m not very certain we’d actually have a relationship right now.”

“What do you mean, cari?” The young mech asked, his voice full of surprise at the quiet honesty in his carrier’s voice.

“When Unicron first reformatted Megatron into Galvatron—_he remembered who he was_. He was _a powered-up Megatron_………and Megatron was the worst mech in the entire universe and all of existence. That version of Galvatron wanted to seize all of Unicron’s power and tried to plot to do so in stealing the Matrix of Leadership from Ultra Magnus,” the flame-colored mech explained, getting up and moving his chair closer to the berth. He quickly gave a brief rundown of Optimus Prime’s death and Ultra Magnus getting the Matrix from him—and then Galvatron slaughtering Magnus on Junkion, with the Junkions managing to rebuild him quickly, as Magnus’s Spark hadn’t been extinguished with the supposed frame shattering. Though Rodimus didn’t explain exactly why, the young Autobot Leader himself knew now that the reason Magnus’ Spark hadn’t perished with the destruction of Ultra Magnus’ frame was because the “_Ultra Magnus_” frame was armour and Galvatron hadn’t destroyed the true frame of **_Delta_** that was within the armour. “I fought against Galvatron in the depths of Unicron and I was outclassed and outmatched in my smaller frame as Hot Rod. Galvatron was murderous and fierce, if the Matrix hanging on a chain about his neck hadn’t called out to me and chose me, giving me this frame of Rodimus Prime………_I would’ve died then_. That was the first time I fought harder than anything and didn’t even consider giving up, no matter how much I hated myself—and I think the Matrix _knew_ that. I defeated Galvatron and blasted him clear out of Unicron’s frame………he landed on the planetoid of Thrull and had been swallowed by its plasma pools.”

“_And sire didn’t die?!_” Novablaze gasped with awe. His optics cycled open wide, making the dark blue glass coverings glow a much brighter shade of blue.

“The frame Unicron gave him is practically indestructible, but he did suffer damage to his processor—he was in the plasma pools for several months. It took his memories of his previous life and all he had left was **_Galvatron_**—the Leader of the Decepticons and conqueror of the universe. The memories of Galvatron were small and short in lifespan, but it focused him a lot better on what **_he_** truly wanted—not what Megatron wanted. Galvatron has catalogued memories of what being the Decepticon Leader meant and everything, but he is truly a new person, there’s _nothing_ left of Megatron within him,” Rodimus explained, smiling up at his mechling. “It also made him crazier than a turbofox with a virus. Galvatron had _very little_ mental stability, but I was a great temptation to him because of it—we were drawn together, opposites on opposite sides. I hated myself and Galvatron wanted to conquer me……..I know this is difficult for you to understand or to even hear, but _I hated myself so much_ and I really hoped Galvatron would destroy me. He **_conquered_** me instead and I grasped at something _so desperate_—the very simple fact that _someone wanted me_. **_I_** was the one who forced your sire into Spark-bonding with me, he wasn’t the one who initiated it. And, in the end, it balanced us both out—Galvatron became less crazy and I became much bolder.”

“_Heh_, it’s hard to think of sire as mentally unbalanced. But I know _you _get really sad sometimes, cari,” the young purple-and-yellow mech replied. “It’s hard to think sire didn’t initiate the Spark-bond, cari……..he seems like **_he_** would be the forceful one.” Then Novablaze crossed his arms over his chest, in a thoughtful manner. “But you also like Magnus? I mean, it’s okay with sire, too?” He asked.

“It’s a weird and strange thing, but to your sire the bond we share and interfacing with another mech or femme are _different things_. Most normal Cybertronians kind of equate the two, you know? You interface because you’re in love with that person………..and when you’re in love, you want to interface,” Rodimus said, sitting up straight and shrugging. “It’s true, that Spark-bonding puts the relationship on a whole other level, but Galvatron has a view of physical intimacies that have _nothing_ to do with bonding—or, for the rest of us, _‘love’_. Your sire has wanted me to find a person to interface with for years, because he does what he wants with whomever he wants—it’s just a _physical function_ to him, just like daily fueling. Actually, he thought I’d find as many lovers as he has……_but I’m just not like that_. Even this thing with Magnus was something the two of us talked about for a long time before we decided what we wanted to do together.” Then the flame-colored mech smiled over at his youngling very fondly. “I _do_ like Magnus, a lot. He’s _not_ a ten, like Galvatron…….but a six or seven means we’re _not just frag-buddies_. _Oh, hey, **wait**_……….um, don’t use _‘frag’_ until you’re older, okay. It’s slang and it’s not……..well, it’s _not full of love_, okay? If you find someone you really like, **_interface_** with them for your first time because you really like them. After all that, after you’re mature enough to make decisions to just have, _ahem_, frag-buddies……then use the term _‘frag’_. Until then, be **_mature_** about the situation—_don’t be an aft_. _Oh, **um**_, don’t use _‘aft’_ in that way either—that’s also not very nice.”

Novablaze laughed at the fact that his carrier was trying to focus on clean language use. Clearly Rodimus Prime had no clue what Galvatron’s words were like on a daily basis—or didn’t realize Galvatron was using that wild kind of language in front of Novablaze on a daily basis. The flame-colored mech looked at his mechling, puzzled at why Novablaze was laughing at him.

“Sire’s language is a _lot worse than that_, cari—and I know not to use those words in mean ways and stuff, okay? Don’t worry. I may’ve gotten some of sire’s traits, but I know how to be respectful, like _you_,” the young purple-and-yellow mech chuckled warmly.

“_Oh, **good**_. Look, we’re the first Cybertronians to be able to have sparklings—I don’t know what Windblade and Dai Atlus’ childhoods were like and how they were raised. I have a little bit of experience in _‘parenting’_ with babysitting Danny for so many years, but as parents, all of this is new to me and to Galvatron, too,” Rodimus laughed, warmly, leaning back into the chair and crossing one leg over another.

“_Ummm_……….so, I don’t know if I’m ready to ask about interfacing, but……what’s **_kissing_** like?” Novablaze asked, his optics bright and luminescent with curiosity. “Who was your first kiss with? What’s it like kissing sire versus kissing Magnus?” He asked, eagerly.

“_My first kiss_. That’s a weird one—you mean first kiss with someone you like, right? And not like how you little bratlings get kisses from me all the time, eh? Or Danny’s toddler-age very sloppy kisses?” Rodimus Prime laughed. He reached his servos behind his head and cupped the back of his neck. “My first kiss _isn’t_ a fond memory. It should be, but………given how the relationship turned out, it mostly makes me _very sad_. When I first was sent to Earth on Ultra Magnus’s recommendation, I made friends with Arcee and Springer. I _thought_ the three of us were very close. I **_wanted_** us to all be close. Amongst our kind, trines are rare, but not unusual—gestalt teams often have relationship bonds, you know. What I _didn’t know_ was that Springer and Arcee had already been Spark-bonded long before I came along. I was pretty sloppy at it, but I kissed Arcee underneath the stars outside the Ark………and her only reciprocation was just a polite kiss on my forehead. The day after I practically professed undying love to her by doing that and said I liked Springer, too……..I got _‘the talk’_ from them. I was **_crushed_**.”

“_Oh, cari! I’m **so sorry**!_” Novablaze cried, feeling the light ripples of pain and regret in his carrier’s field.

“It was the last chance I felt I had at having any friends or bonds amongst the Autobots. Soon after that I was sent to be the Witwickys’ bodyguard and I began to feel isolated, I think that’s when my self-loathing and hatred got worse. Oddly, the only _‘friendly’_ mech I had when I wasn’t with Danny and his family was Kup—he was cranky to everybody, but I thought his stories were fun, even if I liked to tease him about it. He was also, _always_, very busy…….so he simply didn’t have enough time for me,” Rodimus answered with a light chuckle. “To answer your other questions……….well, _your sire_ kisses like a beast. He’s fierce and commanding, as he is in every other way—you’re induced to surrender to him. Magnus on the other hand, he is slow and he likes to share the sensations. Both of them are _different _and I like the way each one of them treats me—Galvatron is rough and commanding, but he treasures me beyond anything in the universe, while Ultra Magnus treats me as an equal nowadays and we share in the experiences with each other.”

“_That’s awesome_,” Novablaze murmured, feeling the warmth and happiness in his carrier’s field this time. “So, it’s okay to have _more than one_ relationship, right? I’m glad to know that…….” He trailed off, flopping back onto his berth and he grinned, gazing at the ceiling.

Rodimus Prime wondered if maybe Carnivac’s musing may be right. He’d said some years ago that Novablaze’s multi-function T-Cog could hide a gestalt combination, if it weren’t a multiple alt mode programming—it could even turn out to be both, Novablaze’s God Spark was beyond anything any other Cybertronian ever had. Novablaze hadn’t experienced another alt-mode yet, so what his multi-function T-Cog **_was_** actually for happened to still be up in the air. But _if_ it could lead to a gestalt combination, Novablaze might find an emotional connection to _more than one_ mech or femme.

“Hey, Nova……..is there someone you _really_ like right now?” Rodimus asked, very curious to know if that’s why his youngling was so curious about love and kissing—and only peripherally about interfacing.

“_Yeah, cari_. I **_think_** he likes me, too,” Novablaze answered, staring at the ceiling and grinning excitedly. “_Quake_. I like him lots and he’s super-nice to me all the time and stuff. But I also like Leozak, too…….._kinda differently_. Not like I like Quake. Mainframe and I hang out and do stuff, too, but I don’t feel as strongly for him as I do Quake or Leozak. I mean, those are the ones I _like-like_. You know, I _friend-like_ Rawjaw and I _friend-like_ Dai Atlus, he’s been teaching me to use a sword the last couple years.”

The young Autobot Leader smiled wryly. It was looking more like a gestalt combination that his and Galvatron’s firstborn was going to become a part of. But only **_four_**? There was the utility gestalt of Blacker, Braver and Laster—who combined into Road Caesar—but most known gestalts were teams of five or maybe six. How would a four-mech gestalt combine………? _Unless_……..?

Maybe there was someone Novablaze _hadn’t met yet_?

But could it be an Autobot or Decepticon from Cybertron? Autobots from Earth? Maybe mechs or femmes who could be out on the frontier still? Deszaras’ crew and an Autobot team from Cybertron were on ships out sweeping the frontier, dealing with Destrons and trying to find their remaining kin still out there.

Novablaze clearly **_did_** understand the feelings in his Spark, despite wanting to ask his carrier about love and how one would know if it was real and true. The mechling used “_like-like_” and “_friend-like_” as _very distinctive terms_—he knew exactly how he felt towards Quake in comparison to Dai Atlus. And even the strength of his “_like-like_” for Quake in comparison to his other “_like-likes_” of Mainframe and Leozak.

_Leozak_, though. **_Could_** Leozak become part of another, a _new_, gestalt combination—having been part of one before? Rodimus pushed the future aside and decided to focus only on the present right now.

“Would you like to learn how to kiss, Nova?” Rodimus asked, with a smile.

Novablaze shot back up to a sitting position, grinning, and his field getting very excited emotions running through it.

“First you tilt your head a little bit, like so…..” the flame-colored mech began, demonstrating the motion. “And then, you……….” he added, as he demonstrated more motions. After a few more tips and motion demonstrations, then explaining about dentae and glossa and oral fluids with blushing eventually suffusing his faceplate. “_Share your first kiss with someone you like **a lot**, Nova_. Like maybe Quake. But _don’t_ rush to get there, just let it happen naturally, okay?”

“_Yeah!_” Novablaze said, still very excited about thinking of the future and the ones he liked a whole lot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm going to be offline for the weekend. Comments and such I'll respond to when I am back online on Monday. I'll be hard at work at like 4 other stories and have more for you next week. (It's just been a bad two weeks, personally, and writing has suffered greatly.)
> 
> Take care and I'll see you all then! :D


	15. Educational Adventures!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stormbreaker takes a field trip with Daniel to a human Kindergarten class.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Amongst all my life stupidity lately...……..I wanted to write something silly and adorable. :)

_ Chapter Fifteen: Educational Adventures! _

It had been about five months since Rodimus Prime and Stormbreaker left Chaar for their new adventurous life. They were visiting back around Earth’s areas (Athenia and the Moon and Mars colonies), but this particular day, Stormbreaker was crying because her friends were not around for her to play with today.

“_Oh man_, what’s with the waterworks?” Daniel asked, coming into the community room, where he saw Rodimus pacing back and forth with the crying femmeling in his arms.

“Her friends aren’t here for her to play with,” the young Autobot Leader answered, turning to look at his human best friend.

“_Ah_, yeah……..Miranda and Sally are visiting relatives on the Moon Colony, while Kicker’s gone back to school—it **_is_** fall, after all,” the young man answered.

“Oh, that’s right—it’s August, isn’t it? I _completely forgot_ about that!” Rodimus Prime groaned. “How does Kicker feel about school? He’s not as stubborn against it as you were, is he?” The flame-colored mech laughed warmly.

“Not really. He gets to see all of his friends when he’s back in school and he plays soccer,” Daniel responded with a smile.

Rodimus sat down on the floor and set Stormbreaker in his lap. She mewled softly, burying her faceplate in his chestplating. “Danny’s here, Storm—don’t you want to play with him? Maybe you two can paint?” He said, warmly, using his EM field to surround her with love and comfort.

Daniel reached up and took the two-year-old femmeling’s servos into his own hands. “Hello, Stormy—how are you doing?” The young man asked, smiling up at her.

“_Want fweeendssss_…..” she answered, hiccupping a little bit with her sobs.

“Kicker will be gone until late November—he’s at school on Earth,” Daniel answered, folding her servos inwards to hold them between his hands. “Sally and her mom won’t be back to Athenia until the holidays, too. Only Doctor Jones is still around working on projects. But we can do something fun together, if you’d like to, Stormy?”

“What_ **skoool**_?” The red-colored femmeling asked curiously, as Rodimus got out a cloth from a subspace pocket and wiped her faceplate clean of tears.

“It’s a place human kids go to learn things. They make friends and do fun activities, as well as learn to write and do math,” Daniel answered, grinning at her.

“_I wanna gooooo tooooo skooooooool_!” Stormbreaker gushed, tilting her head up, to look up at Rodimus’ faceplate.

The young Autobot Leader chuckled and rubbed her helm fondly. He reached up a servo and rubbed his chin as he thought about it. “_Hmmmm_. Perhaps I could use a little bit of clout and we could go to school for a day on Earth?” Rodimus Prime murmured. “Daniel? Do you think we could go to **_your_** old school for a day? We should probably do Kindergarten, though—even though she’s still a bit young for it,” he said, looking down at his old friend.

“Kicker goes to my old school, Wilson Elementary in Portland,” the human male said, smiling and folding his arms across his chest. “Let me go tell my wife I’ll be gone for the day tomorrow and then you and I will go down to Metroplex. Once we’re down there, we’ll go over to Wilson Elementary by the end of the school day and see if we can attend tomorrow.”

Sometime after two o’clock, Daniel went along with Rodimus Prime and Stormbreaker and they drove to the Wilson Elementary school on the west side of Portland, Oregon. Stormbreaker squirmed in the passenger side seating of her carrier’s alt mode, because she could hear the excited cries of children playing outside. Daniel chuckled, looking over at her, as he rode in the driver’s side seating of his best friend’s alt mode.

“Looks like they’re just getting out—kids will be hanging about playing and waiting for parents to pick them up and Kicker has soccer practice in about thirty minutes. We can hang around and watch him play after we talk with the principal and Miss Layton, she’s the teacher of one of the two Kindergarten classes at this school,” Daniel responded, reaching over and rubbing Stormbreaker’s helm fondly.

She purred and kept trying to look out the side window near her.

When they pulled into the staff parking lot, an older man and a young female adult human were waiting for them. Daniel hopped out of Rodimus’ driver side and walked over to the passenger side to get Stormbreaker out of her seat.

“_Hold my hand, Stormy_,” Daniel said firmly as her head craned in the direction of the playground, where the children’s voices were coming from.

Rodimus Prime transformed into his primary mode and knelt beside his best friend and the other two humans. “Storm, listen to Danny—_hold his hand, please_,” he said, firmly, reaching a servo out and rubbed her helm with a couple of digits.

“**_’Kaaaaaaay_**!” Stormbreaker said excitedly, her optics focused towards the playground.

“Good afternoon, Principal Grover and Miss Layton,” Rodimus said, smiling down at the two adult humans. “My daughter, Stormbreaker, is greatly curious about human school……….so, Daniel and I thought about taking a field trip to one for the day—_tomorrow_, if we might be able to do so,” he said to them. “She’s _almost_ three years old, so I know that by human standards she is a bit young for Kindergarten, but Daniel said he’d spend the day with her in class and she’ll be good for her _‘Uncle Danny’_.”

“I could certainly use an assistant most days,” Miss Layton chuckled, smiling up at the young Autobot Leader.

“I’m hoping to have kids of my own soon, too—so, it’ll be a good experience for me to be around children as well,” Daniel said, smiling at her. “Stormy, can you say _‘hello’_ to Miss Layton and Principal Grover?” He said, squeezing her servo to get her attention to focus on the humans before them.

“**_Hello_**!” Stormbreaker said, grinning at them before focusing her optics back towards the playground.

“Storm has a couple of human friends, so she is _very curious_ about humans now. Until recently, she really only knew Daniel and his family—mostly she only knew Cybertronians. But she is a very curious little femme,” Rodimus Prime said.

“We have a morning Kindergarten and an afternoon Kindergarten here at this school. Do you know which one you’d like to attend?” Principal Grover asked, looking up at the young Autobot Leader.

“It can be difficult waking her up sometimes, so it might be best to attend the afternoon class. It’s only a three-hour class?” Rodimus asked, curiously. “What do you do for the day?”

“We learn numbers and letters, then we have recess. We also do sensory activities and the children will do job play—such as cooking and cleaning and learning how to be responsible,” Miss Layton said, smiling up at Rodimus Prime.

“It sounds like a simple enough short day for a little one,” the young, flame-colored mech replied. “Storm, would you like to spend the day with Danny at the Kindergarten class here? You would have to be on your _very best behavior_, because even though all the humans are smaller than you—they are **_older_** than you.”

She was still obediently holding Daniel’s hand, but watching in the direction of the playground. Her head swiveled back and up to look at her carrier.

“_Older_?” She asked, softly, her optics glowing brightly with curiosity.

“That’s right, Stormy—you’re not quite three yet and most Kindergarteners are five or slightly older than that,” Daniel chuckled, squeezing her servo warmly. “Do you still want to go to school, even though everyone is older than you?” He asked, smiling at her.

“Stormy is too little?” She murmured, a soft tone of pout in her voice.

Daniel couldn’t help but think that she very much resembled Galvatron when he pouted. “You’re _not_ too little, but they are older than you. So, you’ll have to be a good femmeling, okay?” The human male said, smiling fondly at her.

“_Stormy can do! Stormy can be **very good**!_” The red-colored femmeling said, excitedly.

Rodimus could feel her small field, full of happiness and excitement. “Then I’ll bring you and Danny back here tomorrow, so that you can go to school,” the young Autobot Leader chuckled.

They set up a schedule to go to the afternoon Kindergarten class, which was from noon to three in the afternoon. Then Rodimus Prime, Stormbreaker and Daniel Witwicky all went to watch Kicker practice soccer. It wasn’t hard for the little boy to miss seeing Rodimus there, so he excitedly played his best—since he hoped one day to be able to travel with Rodimus in space. Of course, he _hadn’t _actually told the young Autobot Leader this yet, _but he would ask him soon_! As soon as practice was over, he ran over to the flame-colored mech and saw that Daniel and Stormbreaker were both also there.

“You’re really good at soccer, Kicker,” Rodimus said, grinning down at the boy.

“Thanks, Rodimus—it’s _lots _of fun! I like being active!” The brown-haired little boy answered, excitedly. “_Hi Danny, hi Stormy!_” He greeted, then he sat down next to the red-colored femmeling. “What are you guys all doing here? Did you come to watch me practice?”

“Storm was crying because all her friends were gone and Danny reminded me that school just started for most human children,” the flame-colored mech answered. “So, she wanted to know what school was and Daniel suggested we come here, to his old elementary school.”

“_Awwww!_ Sorry, Stormy—I gotta go to school until, like, December. So, I won’t be able to go back to Athenia until winter break,” Kicker sighed, reaching over and gently rubbing her helm. She purred softly and her EM field rippled with happiness, which the little boy could sense with his own, small EM field. “I didn’t know you went to Wilson, Danny!” He laughed, looking over at the older human male.

“_Yep_,” Daniel chuckled, warmly. “So, tomorrow…….we made plans to attend one of the afternoon Kindergarten classes, with Miss Layton. That way, Stormy can see what school is like for _‘little ones’_.”

“_Awwww!_ That sounds like so much fun! I hope you have fun, Stormy!” Kicker said, excitedly.

“Wanna have _lots of fun_!” Stormbreaker giggled. “Will yooooouuu be at skool, too?” She asked, hopefully.

“Yeah, but I’m in fifth grade and I go all day long……..so, I probably won’t see you until _after school_,” the little boy responded, rubbing her helm again.

“_’Kay_,” the red-colored femmeling murmured softly. 

“I don’t believe I asked Danny, but if you’re here at school and your father is on Athenia while your mother and sister are on the Moon Colony—surely you aren’t staying on your own here in Portland, are you?” Rodimus Prime asked, smiling down at the little boy.

“_Nah_, I’m staying with grandma and grandpa. It’s always a blast staying with them, grandpa’s like super-duper smart, too………he always helps me with my homework and stuff!” Kicker laughed warmly. “They should be here to pick me up soon, too…………”

“Whaaa’sss _‘grannnnnmaaaa’_ and _‘grannnnnpaaaa’_?” Stormbreaker asked, looking up at her carrier curiously.

“_Mmmm_. That’s a good question—something that we definitely do not have right now amongst Cybertronians,” the flame-colored mech chuckled softly. “Well, it would be like Kicker’s _sire’s **sire**_ and his _carrier’s **carrier**_—something like that. Like if your sire had a sire—he might be called your _‘grandsire’_,” the young Autobot Leader explained in Cybertronian, because he felt his wording in English might be a little more complicated than the words she knew.

“**_Want_**!” The red-colored femmeling cried, raising grabby hands up to Rodimus Prime.

“_Uhhhh_………bro? What’d you tell her, because I _don’t_ think she got it…….?” Daniel laughed softly.

“I tried to tell her it would be as if Galvatron had a sire—that person would be her _‘grandsire’_,” the flame-colored mech said, puzzled. “Sweet-spark…….it’s just _not possible_. Galvatron and I are the first. If _you_ ever have a sparkling, then we’d be grandsire and grandcarrier, but I just can’t give you one of those out of nowhere………..” he added, reaching down to pick her up and explaining it in Cybertronian to her.

“_Awwww_…..” Stormbreaker muttered, burrowing into Rodimus’ chest.

“If it means anything—since you and I are like brothers, Rodimus……….then maybe she could consider my mom and dad like a grandma and grandpa?” Daniel responded, grinning up at his best friend fondly. “I bet they’d love that, honestly. You know dad’s _really fond_ of your kids!”

“_Pfft_, sometimes I think part of it is Spike’s curiosity about how we work!” Rodimus Prime laughed warmly.

“There’s _that_, too!” Daniel laughed warmly. “There’s your grandpa, Kicker! We should be heading back to Metroplex, too—to get ready for tomorrow.”

The three said good-bye to Kicker and then went back to Metroplex. After dinner, fueling and then going to sleep/recharge, the three of them went back to the school for afternoon Kindergarten. Rodimus Prime elected to stay in his alt mode, parked in the staff parking lot for today. He told Daniel that if he was needed, to just bring Stormbreaker outside and the young Autobot Leader would take care of any of his femmeling’s little issues. Meanwhile, the young human male and the very young Transformer female went into the classroom—they were both there before any students had come in and Miss Layton was preparing for class.

“Is there anything you want us to do to help things go better?” Daniel asked, curiously.

Stormbreaker was obediently holding onto Daniel’s hand, but her head was craning all around to see the classroom and everything in it. Then her optics saw the small cage over by the front of the room and the smartboard.

“_Animal_!” She squeaked softly, knowing there was some kind of small animal inside the cage. “_Danny! Animal!_ What’zzzzz animal?”

Miss Layton walked over to the cage with them. “This is a _Guinea Pig_—it’s a type of rodent, like a mouse or a rat, but kept as a pet,” she explained, smiling over at the red-colored femmeling.

“Issssss pweeettty,” she cooed, looking at it and admiring the various color and fur patterns on it. The Guinea Pig looked at the front of the cage at its visitors, gave a little chirping sound, then went back to eating its food.

“Her name is _‘Gertie’_. She’s very sociable and since she doesn’t seem to be afraid of you, it means she’ll be okay with you in the classroom. But we don’t let her out of her cage unless it’s with her exercise ball—which is when we clean it,” Miss Layton answered. “So, she is only about three? She’s still a toddler?” The teacher asked, straightening up and looking at Daniel.

“_Yeah_. She’s **_usually_** very well-behaved. Both of Rodimus’ little brats are—which is surprising given who their other parent is,” Daniel chuckled as they all walked around the room together.

“I certainly don’t want to ask awkward questions, but the other kids may ask who her mom and dad are—how do we explain that?” The young woman said as Stormbreaker obsessively looked at everything while they walked around the room.

“Yeah, that’ll probably come up. Though Transformers _do_ use gender designations, though in general they aren’t gender-specific as we understand it. Galvatron would be her _‘father’_ and Rodimus would be her _‘mother’_………..but their terms are _‘sire’_ and _‘carrier’_,” the young man answered, chuckling fondly as Stormbreaker absorbed everything in the room.

“I don’t think children will get that, but……….we’ll see,” Miss Layton chuckled. “Stormbreaker, you can sit on this bench here for today, Mister Witwicky can sit with you. The kids will be coming in soon and I’ll introduce you to them and then we’ll start class. You may want to hold on to your plush animal though, but don’t fight with kids over it…….see if you can play with them nicely with your animal.”

“She’s asking you to _share your other kitty_ with the kids. Stormy, do you think you can let your other kitty make new friends? I’ll make sure it comes home with us, but maybe the two of you can play with the other kids _together_?” Daniel said, chuckling as he was addressed as “_Mister Witwicky_”—which is how he always thought of his father.

“_’Kaaaaaay_,” the femmeling cooed, hugging the Red Panda plush tighter in her other arm.

The two of them sat down on the bench and waited for the class to fill up. The teacher took roll call and then let Daniel introduce Stormbreaker to them. She was suddenly very shy and shuffling her pedes as she held onto Daniel’s hand and hugged her Red Panda very tightly with her other arm. The kids’ voices were all murmurs and mutters to each other about the little Transformer femme.

But as the day progressed and the kids started talking to her, she started opening up—she was hesitant with her English, though, since these were a bunch of strangers and she wasn’t all that great with English yet. So, a lot of her answers to them were one or two words—or she’d look at Daniel when she didn’t know the words to answer the kids with.

“Here, this jumbo pencil should be just right for you to hold, Stormy,” Daniel said, sitting next to her on the bench and bringing a little writing desk over so she could practice writing letters with the class.

She babbled a little bit in her own little made-up Cybertronian language and put the Red Panda on the corner of the desk. Then she took the pencil and switched it between servos, not knowing what one to use. She frowned, looking at Daniel. Like most Cybertronians, she could use both servos easily—there weren’t really “_left-handers_” or “_right-handers_” amongst her kind.

“Most humans write with their right, so try that first, okay?” The young man chuckled. As she put the jumbo pencil into her right servo, Daniel lightly laid his hand over it and showed her how to write the strokes of the letters as Miss Layton showed them up on her smartboard.

She giggled and swung her legs as she practiced the different strokes and lines of each letter, just as the students did. As the few hours progressed, the kids played with her during recess and Stormbreaker was very good about sharing her Red Panda’s attention with others. She was excited about the various sensory activities the teacher had. Then, at the end of the day, everyone was encouraged to go do something they most wanted to do in the room. Stormbreaker was at a loss, because she didn’t know what everything in the room was for—all the other kids rushed around for their favorite stuff. She watched Miss Layton put Gertie into her exercise ball and some kids were having fun watching the little Guinea Pig roll around a small corner of the room in it, while the teacher cleaned the cage.

Daniel brought over some kind of large, bound stack of paper and some jumbo crayons. Stormbreaker looked at him, puzzled—she didn’t know what the crayons were and thought it was another kind of pencil, so she wondered if he was going to make her write letters some more.

“These are kind of like paints, but they aren’t as messy,” the young man explained. “This is a _coloring book_. There are pre-drawn pictures of things that you can color. This is one with animals in it—let’s color a page with an animal you like on it, okay?” He asked, opening it up to a page with a housecat playing with a ball of yarn.

“**_Kitty_**!” She squealed excitedly.

“I’m going to color on this page with the dog on it,” Daniel chuckled, focusing on the page in front of him.

Stormbreaker watched Daniel color for a few moments—mainly to learn how to use the crayons, then she began to focus on coloring her page with the housecat on it. She colored the yarn first, with all sorts different colors, because she wasn’t sure what “_yarn_” was or what color it should be—and she wanted to see what all the colors were.

“Danny………what color is kitty? Is it like my old kitty?” She asked, looking over at him, after tapping his arm lightly to get his attention.

“Cats can be _lots_ of colors, Stormy. But the fun thing about a coloring book is you don’t have to make it the colors of the real cat if you don’t want,” the young brown-haired man answered, pointing to the dog he was coloring, where he’d colored it in shades of green—instead of the common brown color it maybe should’ve been. “Why don’t you color the cat a color that you really like a lot?” He added, reaching over and rubbing her helm fondly.

She nodded and purred happily.

“Why’d she do _that_? Is she a cat?” A little boy asked, coming up to Daniel’s side and watching the two of them color.

“No, silly……..Transformers have their own spoken language, but they also make a lot of sounds that we might not call words,” Daniel chuckled, grinning at the little boy. “Stormbreaker is still very little and Cybertronian is her native language. That sound is a _‘happiness sound’_ that they make, to show other Transformers that they’re happy. They have a rumbling-growling sound to show when they’re angry or upset, too. But their language is also something that has a lot of tones in it.”

“_Wow_……….that’s **_really cool_**. Like………like _giggling_?” The boy asked in awe.

“Yep—that’s a sound we make when we’re happy or we think something is funny. We sigh when we’re sad or cry when we’re upset—they have similar things they do when they feel those ways. They also have a thing called an EM field—we know that as an _‘electromagnetic field’_, but for Transformers it’s a part of the way they emotionally interact with each other,” Daniel explained. “When they’re close to one another, they can feel each other’s EM fields and know if they’re feeling happy or sad, even when they don’t say anything,” the young man explained.

He looked over and Stormbreaker was coloring the cat in the picture purple, with one orange front leg and red eyes. Daniel couldn’t help but laugh inside—yes, that was **_clearly_** an homage to _Galvatron_. Stormbreaker **_really loved_** her sire. He reached over and rubbed her helm softly and listened to her purr happily.

It seemed that she had a good time in the Kindergarten class today. She had fun, she learned about humans learning things. She learned how to write on paper—and color with crayons. She interacted with human children close to her age. _All in all, it turned out to be a very good day and a wonderful learning experience._


	16. Delta

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ultra Magnus. His past. And a new relationship with the young Autobot Leader he was once very unsure about.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I mean, you all knew this chapter was coming eventually. XD How Galvatron will come to feel about this relationship, even though he pressured his precious Prime into it, only time will tell.
> 
> I really wanted to make a different Ultra Magnus than the variations we all had already--including even my own "Star Voyager" series one.
> 
> Oh, yeah...……..and plot point for future story inserted successfully. ;)

_ Chapter Sixteen: Delta _

About six months after the revelation that Ultra Magnus had feelings for Rodimus Prime—the way they interacted with each other were, at times, _awkward_. But it wasn’t always awkward. Sometimes Rodimus could talk his Second-in-Command normally and even broach the prospect of a relationship of some sort. Ultra Magnus would sometimes get embarrassed and excuse himself, but sometimes he’d sit next to the flame-colored mech on the couch in the office and just let his EM field ripple with anxiety and longing.

He’d lean forwards and place his elbow-joints on his knee-joints and talk softly about wanting things, but he was unsure about what he exactly wanted.

This particular day was one of _those kinds_ of days, they were sitting there talking, when an energetic five-year old femme came tearing into her carrier’s office—and everything Ultra Magnus was getting up courage to talk about suddenly went right through the swept-open doorway. Rodimus Prime reached over and patted the suddenly-rigid line of his Second-in-Command’s backstrut.

“Sweet-spark, I’ve told you that you _can’t _just pop into my office like this—I could be on the communications line with the leader of a planet, you know,” Rodimus said, getting up from the couch and catching up to his femmeling and scooping her up.

“_But cari!! You **gotta** look outside!!!_” Stormbreaker cried, slapping her servos on her carrier’s chest.

Ultra Magnus, getting over his sudden distress at the interruption, stood up and walked over to the window behind the young Autobot Leader’s desk. The flame-colored mech was right behind him.

“An **_aurora_**? On _Cybertron_?” Magnus murmured, looking at the multicolored light display in the star-filled skies of Iacon.

An impossibility on a world with practically no atmosphere. Iacon had a special oxygenated atmosphere, only in the city, but it never interfered with Cybertron’s actual non-atmosphere. Almost like they were in a protected bubble with oxygen.

“_Primus_,” Rodimus Prime mumbled, quietly. Ultra Magnus gave him a stern glance, with the meaning of “_don’t swear in front of the child_”. “No, I mean **_literally_**……….._that’s Primus_. You would think he’d find a better way to get my attention. I’ve got to go down to the Chamber of the Forge and talk with Vector Sigma.”

The Autobots’ Second-in-Command took Stormbreaker when his young leader handed the femmeling to him.

“The aurora is still going, though—I’m not certain that, **_err_**, _Primus_ is done speaking to you,” Ultra Magnus said as both he and Stormbreaker stared out the window at the multicolored flashing sky.

“_The hell_……….at least Galvatron states exactly what he wants,” Rodimus groaned, looking back out to the flashing sky. He tilted his head and looked at the sky some more, trying to see if there was something in the colors or the patterns that he could figure out just what more that the Master Programmer wanted from him besides coming down to the Chamber of the Forge to speak directly with him. “_No, wait. **Really**?_” He murmured, rubbing the back of his neck. “_Ummm_. Let me call Slipstream—Primus wants **_you_** to come with me, Magnus.”

“_What?_ Why _me_?” Ultra Magnus murmured, looking over at Rodimus, even as the younger mech raised a digit to his audial and sent a glyph-message to the female Seeker.

“Good question. The Master Programmer can be rather………._eccentric_,” the young Autobot Leader said with a shrug.

Slipstream came to the office and took Stormbreaker with her—off to play _somewhere_—as Rodimus Prime and Ultra Magnus took the secretive and somewhat lengthy drive down into the depths of Cybertron, to the hidden Chamber of the Forge.

“I don’t know how you can possibly remember this route, Rodimus. You’ve hardly been down here at all—and most of us forget once we come out of the Forge,” Magnus said as they drove through so many caverns, tunnels, twists and turns.

“There’s actually a direct route out of the Forge,” Rodimus answered with a warm chuckle in his vocalizer. “But it’s like an _‘exit only’_ and Vector Sigma kind of forces you out of it, really. If Daniel were to label it, we are _‘kicked out of the womb’_ when we’re born.” Then he paused and incycled a few deep breaths. “Optimus may be the only other living Cybertronian who knows this path. It’s only been left inside the Matrix. So, whoever comes after us—they’ll be the only ones to know this path, too.”

“That’s probably a good idea, given what Megatron had done when he found it,” Magnus sighed softly.

“Once you get used to the Stunticons’ egos, they’re really not a bad group,” the flame-colored mech laughed. “It was fun racing with them at the track—I know Blurr’s now got some real fun competition going on with them.”

“You can say that _now_ that we have the ceasefire accords, but would you still feel like that if we were still at war with the Decepticons?” The red-white-blue mech said with a sigh of resignation.

“Probably not. But still, Galvatron adheres to them and we have had them for over a decade now,” the young Prime responded with a soft chuckle.

“Only because Galvatron………_and you_………” and then Magnus gave a very deep, **_deep _**sigh.

“Yes, well,” the flame-colored mech replied. “_It is what it is, Magnus_. Galvatron and I are sparkmates and _nothing_ will ever change that. But he has his lovers and harasses me to get my own—isn’t that what you and I are trying to figure out, now?”

“_Mmmm_,” the older mech mumbled.

They eventually arrived at the exterior of the Chamber of the Forge. Both mechs transformed into their primary forms and the massive door opened up so that the two of them could enter. The interior of the chamber looked pretty good in more recent years, since Rodimus Prime had made the effort to occasionally bring some people down here to renovate the chamber. 

After all, a master programming computer should have a better environment to “_master program_” in!

“Vector Sigma—I’ve come with Ultra Magnus! What can I do for you?” Rodimus asked, looking up at the floating golden orb hovering in a small oval orbiting pattern near the incredibly high ceiling of the room.

_{Thank you for coming, my young translator. Delta, I appreciate you accompanying my translator—however, why have you changed your frame so dramatically?}_

Ultra Magnus was taken aback. The very last thing he expected to encounter today was something that was somewhat akin to admonishment. “I’m sorry. I haven’t been Delta in a very long time, Master Programmer,” he answered, softly.

_{Why did this change? Was your frame inappropriate to your life and your tasks?}_

“_No_. But it’s best that I have this armour that I asked my friend, Technus, to make for me. Alpha Trion rebuilt Orion Pax and that frame is too much like my original frame. I didn’t want the Autobots to get confused by their new leader and a mere soldier,” the red-white-blue mech answered, folding his arms across his chest.

_{Ah, yes. I had forgotten that Orion Pax was rebuilt once. My apologies, Delta—what is it that you are addressed as now, then?}_

“Ultra Magnus, sir,” the old soldier responded with a gentle nod.

_{I suppose it has a flair. I still prefer the name I gave you, Delta.}_

Ultra Magnus’ Spark actually warmed up. It had been a very long time since he had been called “_Delta_” and he’d changed his name and look to make things easier on Orion Pax when he became Optimus Prime. It was not as if he’d ever hated his birth name **_or_** his birth frame—and he had spent a good portion of his life nowhere near Orion Pax. He’d chosen the armour first, when the Decepticons began to rise, because his programming had been to be a soldier—the armour was for his very own protection.

_Delta Magnus_.

And as the armour had suddenly become Delta’s identity, the name needed to be different. Delta had to be buried, for the good of the Autobots and their new leader, Optimus Prime.

_Ultra Magnus_.

“Thank you, Master Programmer, I appreciate it,” the old Autobot soldier responded, dipping his shoulders respectfully.

“So, why do you need me and Magnus, Vector Sigma?” Rodimus Prime asked, folding his arms across his chest and looking up at the golden orb.

_{I wish for you both to be aware of an old issue from the past of Cybertron. My translator, as you travel the universe now—seeking things and explaining us to the universe—and you, Delta, as you remain here to protect the homeworld.}_

Both mechs looked up at the golden orb attentively.

_{I do not keep track of time as you all do. But in a time long past, I created various lineages of your species—some were based upon the original Quintessonian designs and some were unique, which I felt would suit the development of this world better. Then there were some that the Quintessons created and buried beneath the surface, labelling them as failures.}_

“The Transorganics,” Ultra Magnus said, recalling that one particular, _very unpleasant_, adventure from when Rodimus Prime had been Autobot Leader before and they had just begun developing the energy conversion platform, which they later shared with the Decepticons once the ceasefire accords had been signed.

_{Those, yes. There is a sleeping Sentinel in the old depths beneath the Rust Sea. I believe you call this Sentinel type as a “**gestalt**”.}_

“A _Gamma Sentinel_, then?” Rodimus Prime asked, nodding as he remembered the four Sentinel types from when he looked into the Matrix as Hot Rod, to find a way to fix Fortress Maximus.

_{Yes. However, my translator—there are another lineage you must look for out on your travels. You will find them soon. Delta, I need you to take Flamewar with you on your quest to find this missing Sentinel. It needs not be right away. But I felt it might be time for you to be informed of this information.}_

“Vector Sigma—I get that you don’t understand the concept of time as we do, but I think we **_do_** need a timeframe for when you wish all this done,” the flame-colored mech said, seriously. He could feel Ultra Magnus getting agitated at being told to take a Destron prisoner anywhere outside of the cell she was currently occupying.

Rodimus Prime wasn’t all that happy at having to consider such a thing, either. If _Galvatron_ knew, he’d be infuriated that they were even going to consider letting that femme turn her optics outside of the prison block.

_{Are you questioning my choice in exploration? Flamewar was programmed to hunt for things, her skills are very suitable to this task.}_

“No, Vector Sigma. I’m questioning whether you know what she has done since you released her from this chamber,” the young Autobot Leader responded, his voice a bit strained with his stress and feeling his companion’s annoyance at the recommendation of the Master Programmer.

_{Flamewar has indeed tread a dark path in her life. However, I feel that she may turn upon a better path if she is given the opportunity to do so. As for the timeframe you ask me of—within the decade should be suitable.}_

Rodimus Prime facepalmed himself even as Ultra Magnus muttered and shook his head. It was true that ten years was not very long in the life of a Transformer. But it was an awful long frame of time to ask for a favor to be performed within. It certainly didn’t require either of them to have been summoned there **_today_**, right at _this moment_—not if it had a timeframe of _within ten years_ to complete it. The young Autobot Leader placed his left servo on his hip and waved with his right servo as he spoke his next words to the golden orb above them.

“_Okay_. But more likely Magnus and I will want to get started on this search for the gestalt right away. We’ll need to figure out how to get Flamewar to stay in line, though. Any recommendations?” Rodimus asked, sighing deeply.

_{She quite enjoys………..**creative interfacing**. I’m certain if you could find her a partner to fulfill her particular tastes, you may be able to get her to assist you in exchange for a potential leniency on her incarceration sentence.}_

“Galvatron will _never_ go for that. **_Never_**,” Ultra Magnus grunted, folding his arms across his chest again and glanced over at his younger companion. “And I’ll have to put some kind of inhibitor on her to keep her at my own arm’s length while we’re looking for this gestalt. Because you know she’ll run the moment any optics stray away from her……….”

“_Gah_. I don’t even want her near you, Magnus,” Rodimus sighed, placing his right servo on his other hip and stared at the ground.

Ultra Magnus suddenly felt more warmth in his Spark. It was close enough to jealousy that the old Autobot soldier chose to cherish the rather possessive emotion from Rodimus Prime. “I’ll have to review the personnel files and see if I can find a _suitable guard_ for that femme. I’m going to need someone strong and focused. And………_I suppose_ open enough to want to frag with her,” the red-white-blue mech sighed. “_Oh, dear Primus…….what am I even talking about?_ I’m asking a soldier to fool around with a prisoner, I **_must_** be brain-damaged……..” he groaned deeply, throwing his head back and placing his palms over his faceplate.

Rodimus laughed softly, reaching over to pat his friend’s shoulder. It was also very ironic that he invoked the name of Primus here within the depths of the Alpha Sentinel’s core frame and program itself. Although Vector Sigma often separated itself from his core program anyways and thought of itself as “_not Primus_”.

“Vector Sigma, we’ll work on seeing to your tasks. But since the timeframe is such a lengthy one, I think it should be all right for us to head back to Iacon—would it not?” The flame-colored mech asked, looking up at the golden orb high above them.

_{Yes. That will be fine, my translator.}_

“All right. We’ll be heading home. Next time—can you find a **_different_** way of asking for my attention? I mean, I am carrying the Matrix, you can leave a message through that,” Rodimus Prime laughed.

_{But I **did**, my translator. You were too busy listening to another to hear my message.}_

There was **_actually_** a tone of amusement in Vector Sigma’s vocalization in the chamber.

“_Ah-ha-ha…….**whoops**_, so I was,” the flame-colored mech chortled. “It’s a good thing I have a very excitable child who always wants to tell me _every single thing_ she notices,” he added. “All right, we’ll head out now. Can we take the fast exit?” Rodimus asked, looking up at the golden orb again.

_{Safe trip, my translator. It was a pleasure to see you again, my treasured Delta.}_

A large door opened up at the farthest side of the room and the two mechs began to walk towards it. The exit led out to the surface, with them not too far from Iacon. Ultra Magnus looked around at the debris around them, recognizing the remains of the small community of Spire.

“Technus was from here,” the old Autobot soldier murmured, placing his palm on the devastated wall near him and rubbed it lightly.

“Vector Sigma kinda does things like _that_,” the flame-colored mech murmured, standing in the broken archway with his Second-in-Command. “The exit can lead to many locations on Cybertron—usually to the place that Primus wants to send you the most. I think the last time I was down there, I came out around Kaon. _Seriously, **Kaon**_………but then that big lug, Galvatron, was standing right there waiting for me.”

“Then Primus wants me to tell you about my past, I suppose,” Ultra Magnus sighed, standing up straight and placing his servos on his hips. “I’ve had a long life, but most of it is really _just life_. Life happens. There are adventures and there’s the normal, everyday stuff. When I emerged from the Primal Chamber, I emerged around Crystal City.”

Rodimus Prime moved closer and let his EM field wrap comfortingly around Ultra Magnus.

“So, I _lived _in Crystal City. I met Technus there as well. He was teaching at the university in Crystal City. A soldier and a scholar—isn’t that the way of things? Opposites attract and all that. But we were _never intimate_ at all—we were as close as we could be without Spark-bonding or interfacing,” Magnus explained, quietly. He stepped back from Rodimus Prime and held his arms out—there was a click, snap, hiss and then the armour broke apart around him and altered form into the trailer portion of the mech’s alt-mode. The white mech suddenly standing before the flame-colored one looed very much like Optimus Prime’s frame, only a little bit smaller, with a little bit of grey and some dark blue portions on the frame. “_This is Delta_—the soldier from Crystal City.”

“_I know_. I’ve seen you before,” Rodimus Prime said, very fondly, smiling at his dear friend. “I think you’re _very handsome_………**_Delta_**.”

“Technus designed and built my first armour. The one you said you’d seen before—the red and white one. He made the plans for the armour I wear now, but he never had the chance to make it by his own servos,” Ultra Magnus—_Delta_—said, shaking his head softly.

“Crystal City’s destruction?” Rodimus asked, placing his servos on his hips.

“Even so. As you know, I’m _not _very good at making friends. So, when I lost both Technus and Crystal City at the same time—_my friend **and** my home_—I was at a loss on what to do next. I joined the Autobots and specifically asked to be sent out to frontier locations, because there would be fewer people to interact with and I could have the time to get over my loss,” the white-colored mech explained, folding his arms over his chest. “When the armour broke off in that battle……..”

“I thought you did that on purpose?” The flame-colored mech asked, his voice quiet.

“_No_. There was some kind of damage done to it and I suppose Technus designed it to break off from my frame in such an instance. I focused only on the battle and saving everyone else around me,” the older mech answered shaking his head softly. “Afterwards, I believe you were there for the cleanup—and until you asked me if you could join the Autobots, I thought you were just one of the people in the combat situation. But after everything had settled, I’d looked at the pieces of my armour and found a secret compartment, inside was a data-disc with the plans for _this armour_. I’d taken the plans to a mech in Iacon named Heavytread, _together_ we built this armour using Technus’ plans that he left for me.”

“You really think that you needed the armour for your identity—like you said to Vector Sigma?” Rodimus Prime asked, moving a bit closer to his friend and using his EM field to console him and comfort him some more.

“I know that during those years, Optimus Prime and his crew had been on Earth—buried and everything—but there was always the chance he’d come back to Cybertron. I, honestly, didn’t want to confuse people,” Magnus/Delta responded. “At the start, it was to give everyone a chance to get used to and accept their new Autobot Leader. But afterwards, it was easier just to **_not_** be _‘Delta’_ anymore.” Suddenly the white-colored mech chuckled and reached out, pulling Rodimus Prime against him, very suddenly. “You’ve become very good at using your EM field like that. I suppose Galvatron taught you?” He chuckled, leaning his forehead against the flame-colored mech’s.

“Well, Galvatron learned how to do it himself and I just used it the way he would always use it to just _comfort-without-emotions_ with me,” Rodimus chuckled softly, reaching his servos up and cupping the sides of Delta’s faceplate. “I can say it a _billion times_, Magnus—_Galvatron is my sparkmate and I love him_. But **_I like you_** a lot, it would be nice to have some kind of companionship thing with you—if you’ll have me.”

“Friends with benefits, I believe you said the humans say,” the white-colored mech sighed. “Galvatron’s made you a lot better than the young mech who hesitantly approached me after a battle over thirty years ago.”

“_He means the universe to me, Magnus_—but my Spark is large and I can fit **_you_** in it, too,” the flame-colored mech responded.

Delta’s warrior’s facial shield retracted and he brushed his lips over Rodimus Prime’s, gently, the tip of his glossa sliding against the part of the younger mech’s lips in an invitation to open them. The flame-colored mech tilted his head and got into the kiss rather enthusiastically. Soon they were kissing heatedly, dripping oral fluids from the corners of their mouths and devouring one another’s mouths.

“_Primus_, you seriously **_do_** know how to kiss, Rodimus,” Delta chuckled softly when they pulled away to incycle a few deep breaths. “And what is **_this_**?” He laughed, patting the thigh of the leg that was hitched up on his left hip.

“Galvatron tells me I have virtually _no self-control_ when it comes to fragging,” the flame-colored mech laughed warmly, pressing his frame closer against Delta’s. He nuzzled the side of the white-colored mech’s faceplate and purred softly, feeling happy and feeling like he and Ultra Magnus finally understood one another.

Ultra Magnus had never had _any_ person he’d gotten close to actually purr so contentedly and eagerly at him. Galvatron may be the one who realized all of Hot Rod’s true potential, but Delta resolved to cherish this young, flame-colored mech just as much as the Decepticon Leader did.

“This may be the only time you’ll get to enjoy _Delta’s frame_, so……..let’s not go back to Iacon just yet,” the white-colored mech said, deep fondness in his voice as he nuzzled his younger friend in return.

Friend………leader………..and soon to be his part-time lover as well. Ultra Magnus—_the mech once known as Delta_—might be second place in the flame-colored mech’s Spark next to the massive presence that was Galvatron inside of it, but **_this relationship_** would be different. _Special. Treasured_. They **_both_** knew the rules in this and the old Autobot soldier figured he could make exceptions to his reservations, so that he could have a _true relationship_ with depth and meaning—and a friendship that would endure beyond whatever a relationship had in store for them.

“Is it so different in the armour?” Rodimus asked as their frames sank to the ground and Delta began to caress the flame-colored mech’s hip and thigh with a roaming servo.

“**_Well_**……._technically yes_, there’s a size difference,” the older mech said with embarrassment.

“Sounds like fun, Magnus………..I can’t wait to try you _both_ out,” the younger mech chortled, grabbing the dark blue-colored servo and placing it right over his array paneling. “In case you didn’t hear me say it several times before…….._I have a pretty intense sex-drive_. I’ll try not to wear you out, Magnus.”

“I suppose I have Galvatron to blame for **_that_**, too,” Delta said with a sigh, then he smiled fondly down at Rodimus Prime.

“It **_is_** his fault for breaking my seals and activating my interface-drive,” the flame-colored mech answered with a light laugh. “Look, chatting with you is fun and all……..but my interface-drive is saying _‘frag me now’_—so, seriously Magnus, **_frag me now_**, would you?”

Delta—_Ultra Magnus_—shook his head lightly and chuckled, even as he felt the younger mech’s array panels snap open beneath his servo. It would be cruel to leave the flame-colored mech hanging here, so he should just go through with it—_he _wanted to do it, too, honestly. He rubbed his digits lightly along the damp, slick mesh, before pressing two of them inside the hot depths.

“_Hell with it_,” Delta sighed, feeling the heat rushing through his own frame. He leaned over the flame-colored mech’s frame and slid his pressurized spike against the slick mesh and then pushed inside. Rodimus Prime gave more happy purring, his arms going up around the white-colored mech’s shoulders and pulling him down for some more kisses.

He let love and fondness ripple through his EM field, pushing it and wrapping it around Rodimus’ own field, even as his frame thrust and drew them both to a higher pleasure. Friendship and interfacing wouldn’t be such a bad thing—friendship would endure beyond the physical act of fragging.

_It really did feel right, **to the both of them**._


	17. Feelings to You and For You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rodimus Prime fills Galvatron in on what Vector Sigma wants and that he's involved in a new relationship...……..

_ Chapter Seventeen: Feelings to You and For You _

“Look, Galvatron **_will know_**—whether I verbally tell him or not,” Rodimus Prime said to Ultra Magnus. “He’s been trying to get me to have lovers for years now. Trust me, he may be possessive as hell, but he’ll let me do what I want when I’m not with him—as long as you’re not hurting me.”

Ultra Magnus facepalmed himself. This relationship was going to be _very messy_, he was coming to believe. The flame-colored mech saw the gesture and a bit of anxiety rippled through his field before he could contain it.

“_Um_. You **_do_** want to do this, right, Magnus? This relationship thing?” Rodimus asked, his voice very quiet as they stopped their walk through the corridors of the Arrowshot and looked at one another. “And you won’t hurt me, will you?” He added, reaching up to rub the back of his neck anxiously.

“I would _never_ hurt you, Rodimus—I promise you that,” the tall blue-red-shite mech answered, his voice a bit rapid in pace, sensing the flame-colored mech’s anxiety. “I suppose I’m worried that despite what Galvatron says—it’s not exactly how he feels. I _don’t_ want him coming after me and you getting hurt in the process.”

“Admittedly, _Galvatron will be Galvatron_, no matter what. But he’s an honest mech. I **_do_** belong to him, but he’s given me freedom to be myself—and that’s honesty from him. _He means what he says_,” the young Autobot Leader chuckled. “But let me be clear—just don’t compete with Galvatron. He will always want to be my number one, as long as you’re content with being second place, there won’t be a problem with him.”

“I suppose that’s fair,” the old Autobot soldier sighed.

“_Also_……….I’m not asking you to be monogamous either, Magnus,” Rodimus said, shyly glancing away from his friend, his lieutenant and his more recent lover. “If there’s someone else for you, too…….._you can be with them_. I’m not going to demand **_all _**your free time—it would be really selfish and very unfair if I did,” he murmured, a soft little sigh in his voice. “I have my bratling and I’ve become better at making friends than before. I’ll be okay if you can’t make time for me, you know? I want this thing between us to be open and free and flexible for us both.”

Ultra Magnus smiled, reached over and took Rodimus Prime’s grey servo. He brought it up to his lips and kissed the knuckle-joints lightly. “I’m proud of you for being like that. **_But_**, don’t worry……….as of now, I _haven’t_ been involved with anyone. And I haven’t been involved with anyone in awhile either. This is my first worthwhile relationship in a long time.”

“You are **_so normal_**, Magnus, it makes me cry. I need something—_someone_—so very normal in my life,” Rodimus chuckled, stepping closer and hugging his Second-in-Command warmly and tightly. “_All right_. We’ll be heading off to Chaar in an hour. See if you can review some personnel files and get us someone to babysit Flamewar on this project Vector Sigma has you doing for it. We’ll talk about that and maybe do some interviews when we get back.”

“Are you going to tell Galvatron?” Magnus asked, hugging Rodimus back and then parting to talk normally with his commander and lover.

“_I have to_. It’s very difficult to hide things from him—he’s ridiculously intuitive,” the flame-colored mech laughed. “We’re Spark-bonded tightly enough that he can tell when I hide something, no matter how good my poker face may be.”

The moments that Ultra Magnus could remember over the years, seeing Galvatron react to things with Hot Rod—back when the younger mech was living on Chaar at the embassy. He reacted before words were said, only when tears or pain were felt inside, long before they were shown. Yes, Galvatron knew everything about the flame-colored mech’s Spark and the emotions within it—that much was very clear. While he usually asked at what he could blast to fix it, it showed that Galvatron wanted very desperately to fix whatever was upsetting the young Autobot—_no matter what_. Even if he had absolutely no clue as to how to do so.

Galvatron had gone, against all the medic’s orders when he’d been injured by Starscream, to go find out what had happened to Hot Rod—when the flame-colored mech had been killed by Darkwing and Dreadwind and brought back to life by the Matrix, via Novablaze’s Spark. It showed that whatever Galvatron actually felt and how he felt it—this young flame-colored mech was at the center of his universe. Ultra Magnus was frustrated to have to relent to the relationship of the Autobot and Decepticon Leaders like this, but at least he could be of more support to Rodimus Prime in their new-and-growing relationship.

“All right, then—take care, Rodimus,” Magnus said, by way of parting, as the crew of the Arrowshot boarded and got ready for take off.

And one overly-energetic femmeling began tearing through the corridors with her worn Red Panda plush in her arms.

By the time they had reached Chaar, Galvatron was (of course!) waiting for them on the landing platform.

“**_Siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiirrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!_**” Stormbreaker squealed loudly, thundering down the ramp and jumping up and down in front of the powerful Decepticon Leader, mewling to be picked up and hugged.

Galvatron smiled, showing his fangs gleefully, and plucked the red-colored femmeling up by the back of her neck, to rest her in one arm—as he always did with his spawn, when they were little enough and light enough to do so. Stormbreaker would not always be so, but for now she still was “You are an absolute terror as always, my Stormbreaker. You have not given your carrier too much trouble, I hope?” The bulky purple mech chuckled as she purred and burrowed her faceplate against his chest happily.

“_Nuh-uh! Stormy has been very good!_” The femmeling giggled, looking up into her sire’s dimly glowing red optics. Her field full of love wrapped all around Galvatron, who just pushed his normal and solid field against it.

The feelings that Galvatron didn’t understand from his lover and spawn, he still accepted them in all their forms. He understood it was _their way_ to treasure him. The powerful Emperor of the Decepticons turned and handed over the femmeling to Novablaze—who hugged his sister briefly before having to put her down. He was not yet strong enough to hold onto someone like her for an indefinite amount of time.

Rodimus Prime finally approached him, even as his crew began to wander off to visit the various locations on Chaar they chose to visit every time they were here.

“Hey Galvatron, how’s it going?” The younger mech said, cheerfully.

“_All is well_. Now, how shall we go about this visit of yours?” The Decepticon Leader inquired, tilting his head curiously at his lover and rival. He placed the servo on his arm without the nova cannon on his hip and relaxed the arm with the nova cannon at his side.

“_Um, yeah. **That**_**.** Nova, would you mind taking Storm to the embassy and keeping her entertained for awhile?” Rodimus said, looking down at his eldest offspring and smiling at him.

Novablaze looked up at his carrier curiously, knowing something—_some strange emotions_—were swirling around inside of the young Autobot Leader. He nodded and took Stormbreaker’s servo, walking them both towards the embassy and asking questions of her recent trips. That left Rodimus Prime and Galvatron standing in front of one another, maybe even a little bit awkwardly on the part of the flame-colored mech.

“No theatrics, no screwing around……….” Rodimus began and then chuckled when Galvatron gave a little snort of laughter. “We’ve got **_serious_** things to talk about, my Emperor, and I’d like for us to have as much privacy as possible.”

“It is like that, then?” Galvatron sighed. He grabbed the flame-colored mech’s arm, yanked hard and quickly scooped him up into his arms. Then he flew them both to the dusty, hot third planet of the system. “This is as private as I may get, my Prime. What is it you wish to speak about?”

“I’ll throw out the _bad news_ first. Look, I never get straight answers out of Vector Sigma, okay? But it asked me—or rather, asked _Ultra Magnus_—to take Flamewar out to look for a gestalt _‘sleeping’_ in the Rust Sea,” Rodimus said, keeping his voice very even and very neutral.

“You will **_not_** allow this, I trust? Because that femme cannot be trusted whatsoever!” Galvatron snapped, clenching the servo of his arm with the nova cannon and debating whether he wanted to shoot something right now and hoped his decision wouldn’t make him want to shoot Rodimus Prime right at this moment.

“I tried telling Vector Sigma this, but it _doesn’t understand_. It just says she can be _‘motivated’_ into doing this for us………..” the flame-colored mech complained, waving his servos as he spoke, just as frustrated about it as Galvatron was.

“It is because she was an _archaeologist_,” Galvatron grunted, glaring at Rodimus Prime and the tone in his voice said he was pouting, because he knew why Vector Sigma chose her. “Courier was the job she took when she joined the Decepticons. Soundwave and Onslaught uncovered more of her biographical information, which had been sealed and classified by Megatron and Shockwave.”

“Megatron sealed her files? But **_why_**?” Rodimus gasped, arms falling to his side as he stared at Galvatron in shock.

“Because when she joined the Decepticons, she was placed into special operations by Megatron—answerable only to Shockwave. Her cover was a courier, but she was a spy,” the powerful Decepticon Leader answered with a deep sigh. “Using a bit of my CNA, I was able to unlock this file for Onslaught and Soundwave to read. _Nnnngh_, I suppose having been that Megatron fellow once before has its uses now……….” he muttered, sharply.

Rodimus Prime rubbed his chin, thoughtfully. “Okay, then. So, she was an archaeologist?” He asked, tilting his head as he looked at Galvatron curiously.

“Yes. She worked with a small team of other archaeologists from the Science Institute in Iacon. They were combing vast areas such as the Rust Sea and Acid Wastes for historical information, concerned that the senate was going too far in covering up the past,” Galvatron grunted.

Rodimus covered his mouth with a servo. Vector Sigma was _so right_ in why he wanted Flamewar to go and assist with finding this gestalt in the Rust Sea! The coalition of the consumer goods line and the military hardware line, which chose several representatives to serve as a “_senate_” had ruled over Cybertron for a very long time. However, over time, their policies of burying and erasing what they could of the past allowed a mech like Megatron to be born and tarnished the last Golden Age of Cybertron.

“What happened?” The young Autobot Leader asked, softly.

“The _official report_, which had been attached to her record, claimed that an accident had killed all but two of her research party. But you and I have seen enough things in our lives to know that when officials claim something as an _‘accident’_ that kills such a mass of mechs and femmes—it is never truly **_an accident_**,” Galvatron responded, his tone deep and serious as he looked at his rival and lover.

“_Yeah_. Games by those in power. I wonder why Cybertronians wanted our true history buried? Why they hid the fact we were created by the Quintessons as mere product to sell as _‘intelligent-but-programmable slaves’_ to others in the universe?” Rodimus sighed, shaking his head.

“Keep forging ahead, my Prime—uncover the truth, so that you may present it to all our kind. Until we have a true reckoning with our past, we cannot pave our way into the future,” the bulky purple mech said. “This is **_your_** destiny—you and I have both seen it within your Spark.”

“I’ll do my best, Galvatron,” the flame-colored mech said, fondness in his voice and love curling about Galvatron in his EM field. “Now for the other—something which may please you and maybe not please you as much as you’d hoped………..I’ve finally had _‘relations’_ with another mech.”

Rodimus Prime waited for any kind of reaction from Galvatron. He’d run through the scenario of telling Galvatron many times in his head and thought of many different reactions. What he wound up with was a mix of a couple of his imagined reactions. First Galvatron’s lips parted in a devilish grin, then he tossed his head back and roared with laughter.

“_It is about damn time, my Prime!!!_” The powerful Decepticon Leader laughed. Then he stepped forwards and swiped a forefinger underneath his lover’s chin to make their optics meet. “Now, will you tell me whom it is you went to berth with—or will you make me guess?” He asked, his grin both excited and sly. “And………..more importantly—_were they satisfying_?” He chortled, brushing his lips lightly over Rodimus Prime’s lips.

“_Magnus_. And I’m **_serious_** about what I’m doing with him—I’m not doing it on a whim, my lord,” the young Autobot Leader said, frowning a little bit. Now was about to come to the difficult part of explaining what a relationship meant to Galvatron. “I can’t take lovers like you—I can’t do it _just for fragging_. I need………..I need someone I trust, Galvatron. That means I’m _invested emotionally_.”

“As always, you set out to make things as difficult as you possibly can,” Galvatron sighed deeply. “Why is it so difficult for you to not simply enjoy pleasures with someone who has skills?” He groaned.

“Now, did I ever say Ultra Magnus _wasn’t_ skilled……….nor that I disliked interfacing with him?” Rodimus Prime said with a light little chuckle, a servo going up to catch Galvatron’s wrist and pulled the large purple servo against the side of his faceplate.

“_Oh-ho!_ Then you have **_enjoyed_** it?” The powerful Decepticon Leader chortled.

“_Yeah, **I did**_. But look………_I like him, too_,” Rodimus said, very simply, offlining his optics and keeping Galvatron’s servo against his faceplate. “You’re my **_number one_**………..but he’s my second.”

“It is appropriate, I think. As long as you enjoy your time with him and you remember that the Spark-bond is **_not_** the same as fragging,” Galvatron responded, chiding lightly and then pulled his servo free from his younger lover’s grip and faceplate. “I suppose it is only inevitable that you would invest yourself with feelings in a relationship that should just be for enjoyment.”

“I **_am_** gonna enjoy my relationship with Magnus!” Rodimus groaned, a little bit exasperated. “I just…………kinda need someone………..who is **_reliable_**.”

Galvatron gave a little sigh as he felt a bit of anxiety flow through Rodimus Prime’s EM field. He knew that much was very true. As the younger mech had been turned away from others for most of his life, trust was a treasure that must be guarded very carefully for him. And the Emperor of the Decepticons was very aware that the flame-colored mech had a long-buried crush on Ultra Magnus—many things were revealed to the each of them by Spark-bonding.

“I do not understand why you feel I would be concerned over this, my treasured young Prime,” Galvatron said, firmly, pulling the flame-colored mech against him and letting the younger one clutch at him in a desperate hug. “I wished for you to be freer and more open with yourself—and that is what you are doing. _I know your Spark, Hot Rod_—I know Ultra Magnus would never replace me within it. I do also know that Ultra Magnus is very strong and very honorable. He will _never_ mistreat you. If somehow he went against his own programming to do so, he would become very non-existent the moment I knew you were crying because of him.”

“I know, _but_……….**_it’s just_**………..” Rodimus sobbed, hiccupping a little. He hadn’t meant to start crying, but he had a tendency to do so—especially when Galvatron showed him any motions of comfort.

“You are stressing out, again, my Prime. I do not like it when you are distressed like this,” Galvatron sighed, softly, patting the center of the sunbright yellow spoiler. “Is there something more bothering you than what we have just been talking about?”

“_Don’t………..don’t ever leave me……….**please**………_.” the flame-colored mech whispered, his Spark aching deeply.

“**_Tch_**,” Galvatron grunted. “Rodimus Prime—you engaging in a relationship with one who is not myself is _not_ going to bother me. This I promise you. Especially when this other mech is Ultra Magnus. I have tremendous respect for your Second-in-Command.” He continued to hug and pat the flame-colored mech as he attempted to get Rodimus to calm down from his own personal problems stressing him out. Eventually, Galvatron felt Rodimus Prime’s frame relax a little more and the stress began sliding away, as his field curled around Galvatron with longing. “_There._ **_That_** is more like it, my Prime! Here is a tidbit you may consider—you have wished that one day we may conceive another sparkling. Now that you have Ultra Magnus to service you when you need it, I would not mind if **_he_** offered material to your forge for a new sparkling’s frame…………..and it will give me a little less stress that I am satisfying all your whims and needs, my silly Prime.”

Rodimus Prime laughed softly. Leave it to Galvatron to bring it all back to fragging! Of course, by what he said, he only meant the interfacing materials—transfluid and charge for the sparkling’s frame. Nothing to do with the conception and growth of the newspark, as that involved Spark-bonding and Sparklight—he’d never allow anyone else to touch one of his newsparks with Sparklight ever again, not after what Starscream did. **_That_**_ was a small thing that was one more small thing which proved the depths of Galvatron’s devotion to Rodimus Prime._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Life sucks. I admit, I had no good title for this chapter...…….it wasn't coming to me. I blame life stress. *chuckle*


	18. Winter Wonderland

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stormbreaker's first experience of Christmas at Metroplex on Earth!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Due to the holiday season and no home internet--my online time will be sporadic. While I'll be working on writing new things (I've got a stunning new MegaRod story in the works!), nothing new will be posted until after the first of the year. I'll still be online when I can and read things. :)
> 
> I hope everyone has a great holiday season, best wishes to you all! :D

_ Chapter Eighteen: Winter Wonderland _

Rodimus Prime had chosen to be back around Earth for the holiday season, wintertime, that year. Stormbreaker was just about to turn three years old, her date of birth would technically fall sometime between December 24th and 25th on the Earthlings’ calendars—of course, it was completely different according to the Cybertronian calendar. From all that he had remembered, since before Metroplex there was the _ARK_—the Autobots usually hosted a week of holiday activities for their human friends and allies……..and even the regular visitors to the _ARK_ or Metroplex.

Of course, now there was **_just _**Metroplex, since Trypticon pretty much trashed the _ARK_. And the entire mountain it was buried in.

But in Metroplex, the Autobots were able to host more visitors through it than they had been at the _ARK_. It was also easier to block off places humans shouldn’t be able to get to and mess around with in Metroplex—considering Metroplex himself was aware of whomever was inside of him. They usually had general visitors most of the week, but on the 24th and 25th, they closed Metroplex off to the general public of human visitors and only allowed their close human allies and families to visit then.

The Autobots tried to fit in with their environment and become friends with their human allies—learning about their customs and holidays and……….Christmas seemed to be a popular idea for the Autobots. Not the religious part of the holiday so much, but the idea of gift-giving and goodwill towards others—all of which fit in with Autobot ideals. Mostly, Rodimus remembered Daniel’s excitement and joy every year, since he was a toddler until he was too old to believe in “_Santa Claus_” anymore, yet enjoyed the holiday for the things the adults enjoyed it for, rather than the presents.

But, most of all, this would be Stormbreaker’s first experience with the holiday. And given her desire for things that were sparkly, glowy and all of that—she’d probably be wound up with excitement to experience her first Christmas season at Metroplex.

“**_What’s that?!_**” Stormbreaker squealed as Rodimus Prime set her down in a small drift of snow. “_It’s wet! What is it?_” The femmeling asked, staring up at her carrier with her optics glowing brightly with interest and curiosity. She tried to grab some of the snow, but it squished through her servo and fingers, melting a little bit and leaving her servo dripping. “_Pedes cold, cari! **What is it?!**_” She cried, stomping her pedes and squishing the snow around her.

“It’s called _snow_. You know what rain is, right? Well, this is rain that has become frozen in the sky and falls down to Earth in a solid form like this,” Rodimus chuckled, rubbing her back soothingly. “Places on Earth, like where Metroplex is, get colder in certain times of year. So, it becomes snow and ice, instead of rain.”

“_Weird!_” She giggled, still stomping about on the snow and in awe at how the squishy stuff got all very solid when she stomped it down.

“Come on, dear-spark—let’s go inside, there’s more exciting stuff inside of Metroplex this time of year,” the flame-colored mech chuckled, picking her up and walking them both inside. “_Good morning, Metroplex!_” He called.

“_Moooooorrrrning, Met’plx!_” Stormbreaker echoed, waving up at the ceiling, because she knew his camera optic was up there somewhere.

“_Good morning, Prime…………good morning, Stormbreaker_,” the fortress responded, warmth in the tone of his voice as the soft rumble rippled through his frame when he spoke. There were also rumblings when he greeted the other members of the crew of the Arrowshot who entered through other various entrances or stood outside talking with Autobots wandering about, though the audial of those greetings wasn’t given to them.

“**_OOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHH!_**_ Lights, cari! Look at all the lights!!_” The red-colored femmeling squealed, waving an arm about the area, looking at the colored lights running down the hallways and lighted displays in patterns marking doorways or corridor branches.

“On Earth, this is a season of various holidays………including Kwanzaa, Chanukah, Christmas and others,” Rodimus Prime explained as he headed for the main gathering hall in Metroplex—where there were often parties and tour groups meeting there and such. “Since we are allies of Earth, we try to fit in with them by observing their holidays when we can. But there are a lot of a lot of different religious based holidays, so we can’t celebrate them all—we just try to cover the really big ones.”

Stormbreaker stared at the lights and “_ooohed_” and “_awwwed_” over them all until they came to the main gathering hall. Then her optic orbs went wide beneath the purple glass, making them glow the brightest they’d ever glowed before.

“_Cari!!! There’s a tree inside Metroooooopllleeeexxxx!!!_” The femmeling cried, waving her arm in the direction of the massive Christmas tree in the corner of the room. It was covered in garland, lights and decorations, with a widespread white tree skirt piled high with brightly colored-and-wrapped boxes underneath it.

“In certain human parts of the holidays, that is called a _‘Christmas tree’_. Beneath it are presents for all good boys and girls,” Rodimus Prime said, warmth in the tone of his voice as he set her down and she dashed over to the tree, staring up at it.

“_Presents? **Me?**_ Does Stormy get a present? Stormy’s been **_very_** good!!!” She cried, jumping up and down and pointing at the cheerfully-wrapped boxes beneath the tree.

“Yes, Stormy will get a present, on Christmas Day,” the flame-colored mech chuckled. “That date also corresponds with the date of your birth—approximately. So, you’ll be officially three years old then, as well.” Then Rodimus knelt down. “But Stormy needs to _keep being good_ for the next three days, or Santa will come to take her present away if she is bad,” he said, very seriously. “So, listen to what people tell you and be good, okay, Storm?” He chuckled, rubbing fingers lightly on the back of her wing panels, which fluttered happily.

“Who’s Santa?” She gasped, worrying that she may not be able to be completely and totally good for the next three days.

“Santa Claus is a magical being, who watches over children all over the world all year long, to see if they’ve been bad or good. Then, at Christmastime, he will deliver presents to all the good children—to celebrate them being good all year long,” Rodimus Prime explained, as simply as he could.

Stormbreaker’s faceplate fell as she realized she wasn’t on Earth all year long. “But Santa doesn’t know how good Stormy’s been………..” she mumbled, kicking her pedes lightly against the floor.

“Oh, trust me—even though you weren’t here all year, Santa saw you when you were here. And he has special, magical helpers who can find the good children, even when they must be far away from Earth,” the flame-colored mech explained, smiling down at her and rubbing her helm.

Once Earthlings began going out into space, that became a primary change to the Santa story—so, a lot of the families that were on the Moon or Mars colonies now added the “_magical helpers_” that keep tabs on children when they weren’t on Earth anymore. Rodimus honestly thought that the whole Santa business sounded more like a _reverse-thief and a spy-ring_, but whatever made the humans happy was fine with him.

“Friends and family also give presents to each other. I’ve bought you a present, which I hope you’ll like,” Rodimus said, cheerfully.

“_Awwww_………..Stormy didn’t get cari anything!” She cried, looking like she was near tears.

“Why don’t you make me something? You like to paint, so you can paint me something as a present—something I can put on my desk and remember my adorable little femmeling every single moment of the day,” the flame-colored mech said, rubbing her helm tenderly.

“_Yes! **Want!**_ Need paint and paper!” She said, excitedly, jumping up and down.

“Daniel should be here sometime later tonight or tomorrow—I’ll ask him to bring you some paints and paper, all right?” Rodimus Prime said, grinning down at her as she began to run around the room excitedly. He used his ability to send the equivalent of a text message to Daniel Witwicky’s specially-made cellphone—he got a cheerful text response back in a few moments. “Danny said he’d bring you paints and paper tomorrow. Will you make something for your sire, too? And for Nova?” The young Autobot Leader asked.

“_Yes!_ Stormy will do!” The femmeling squealed, her boundless energy and excitement over this new holiday with presents and shiny things and snow wildly bouncing through her small EM field.

Just about then was when Optimus Prime and Jazz, as well as a few other Autobots, came into the main gathering hall.

“I thought I heard Stormbreaker’s voice,” Optimus chuckled, walking over to stand next to Rodimus. “It seems like she is very revved up about the holiday—did you explain it to her?” He asked.

“As simply as I could. She’s still too little to remember lots of details for things. But she understands presents and she definitely likes the sparkling lights everywhere. She’s always loved glowing things a lot,” the flame-colored mech chuckled softly, folding his arms across his chest as he watched his femmeling tear around the room, stopping at various Autobots’ pedes and pounding on their boots as she greeted them. “Who’s telling the stories this year for the kids on Christmas? _Oh man_, my favorite year was when Gears was doing the storytelling!” He laughed.

“I thought that _you _might like to do the storytelling this year, Rodimus,” the former Autobot Leader chuckled warmly. “We’ve got about a dozen families who are coming to Metroplex this year—the entire Witwicky clan that’s local. Chip and his wife and children are coming as well. Their oldest daughter just had a baby several months ago, so we’ll have some very young ones here this year. Carly’s sister is bringing her grandchildren this year. Thomas and his family will be here—which should make Stormbreaker very happy, as you told me she’s become friends with Kicker and Sally.”

“_Wow_. I have not seen Chip in ages. It’ll be nice to see him again, Sparkplug’s coming, too?” Rodimus asked. “You really want **_me_** to tell the Christmas stories this year?” He added, looking over at his predecessor.

“_Yes………….and yes._ Sparkplug’s health is still fairly good considering his advanced age, although he cannot walk at all anymore. At this point, I can see that man challenging Chip to wheelchair racing through the corridors,” Optimus Prime chuckled softly. “Have you anyone else coming for the holidays? Or is it just your ship crew?” The blue-and-red mech asked, cheerfully.

“Well, I _did_ tell Galvatron it’s Storm’s birthday—as attached to her as he is, he might very well make an appearance,” the flame-colored mech chuckled. “But he won’t show just for a _‘silly fleshling holiday’_—as he’d likely put it.”

“Do you suppose he’ll ever get used to humans and other organic species?” Optimus Prime inquired, placing his servos on his hips.

“If he does, I’ll be very impressed. Doctor Jones teases him which riles Galvatron up, but even _Kicker’s _started to push Galvatron’s buttons—he spares them both, as they have _‘uses’_ to him at this point,” Rodimus laughed, shaking his head softly. “As long as Stormbreaker likes Kicker—he’s pretty safe from anything Galvatron might want to do to him.”

“I take it Thomas’ finds on Chaar have Galvatron satisfied with his work, despite enduring his attitude?” The former Autobot Leader asked, tilting his head curiously at his successor.

“Considering just what’s been found on Chaar alone will make Galvatron _ridiculously wealthy_—yes, that makes him happy,” the flame-colored mech chuckled softly. “I wonder if that may be what the Trylians are after? The precious metals and gems. That probably means there’s a lot of that stuff on the other planets, too.”

The two Primes stood there and talked to each other for awhile before eventually everyone began wandering off for fueling or personal activities and, eventually, recharge. The next day, the 23rd, Stormbreaker was excited to see humans come to Metroplex. Especially Daniel and his family. Spike and Carly, as well as Carly’s sister and her grandchildren—plus a very pregnant Amber was there as well. Once everyone began to settle in, Spike said he’d go with Bumblebee to go pick up his dad and Chip’s family—he rented a van to go pick everyone (and their luggage) up in. Some of the other human allies and their families—the ones Rodimus Prime was currently unfamiliar with and set out to get to know now—were starting to make themselves at home, too.

Stormbreaker was especially excited to see new human children. The children were just about in awe of her as well. The children varied in ages as well. There were children from infants to teenagers and Stormbreaker was trying to make friends with them all. She thought the infants were so tiny and Daniel reminded her that she had been like that once—very tiny compared to any other Transformer. She couldn’t remember, but remembered she had been much littler and couldn’t speak once, so she assumed that was when she was “_an infant_”.

Daniel showed her how to paint with a foam brush and the femmeling was in awe at how she could control the lines and spread of paint a lot better with a brush over her servos. She and some of the human children all had a good time painting. She couldn’t decide what to give to whom, so she held onto her paintings for a bit longer and thought she might do more of them and decide then—after all, she still had a few days before Christmas.

By the end of the day on the 23rd, there were a lot of humans and human children milling about Metroplex. Stormbreaker was starting to feel tired, but she was so excited at all the new people—Rodimus Prime had to take her to their room and they both laid down for a nap-cycle before evening fueling and dinner (for the humans). He didn’t want her getting cranky, because she could sometimes get as bad as Galvatron in a tantrum.

Daniel was reading some bedtime stories to the increasingly tired children, when Doctor Jones and his family finally arrived late. Sally was already dozing off in her father’s arms, but Kicker ran over to sit next to Stombreaker and listened to stories. The femmeling was very happy that her friends were here now, too. Her field rippled out—and Kicker was really the only human that could feel it—full of happiness and joy and excitement.

That made the 24th a veritable **_MADHOUSE_** of beings, both giant robot and average size human……..and a boatload of little brats from both species (though mostly human ones) **_EVERYWHERE_**.

“What’cha doin’?” A little boy asked. It was the grandson of Carly Witwicky’s older sister. His name was David. He was standing on tiptoe, to look at what Stormbreaker was doing on the little folding table.

“_I’m making sire a painting!_” Stormbreaker answered gleefully, concentrating on making as very straight lines as she could with her foam brush.

“That’s her **_dad_**, by the way,” Kicker added, walking by as the little boy had approached the femmeling at the little folding table. “Transformers use different terms than we do—sire is dad and carrier is mom. Well, you know, as close as that comes anyways. Danny told me that though they use genders and stuff, they don’t really need genders or something like that.”

“_Weird_,” the six-year-old David mumbled. “Who’s your dad?” He asked, peering up into Stormbreaker’s faceplate.

“_Lord Galvatron!_” She said, very proudly, swinging her legs beneath the table as she focused intently on the painting. “_I’m gonna make my best painting for sire!_” She gushed in Cybertronian—kind of forgetting that the human children didn’t know her native language.

“Please use **_English_**, Storm,” Rodimus Prime chuckled softly, walking by and rubbing her helm fondly.

“_Stormy’s sorry!_” The femmeling said hurriedly, remembering to say it in Earth English. “Stormy is making _best painting_ for sire,” she said in English, smiling down at the little boy peering over the edge of her table.

“She’s still learning English and stuff, so she doesn’t have the hang of all of it yet,” Kicker chuckled. He looked at her painting. “Does Galvatron like purple?” He asked, noting all the purple strokes on the paper.

“_Mmmm!_ ‘Ssss rooooyyyalll puuuuuurppple!” The femmeling gushed excitedly.

“Yeah, _that_ sounds like Galvatron,” the eleven-year-old chuckled.

The day went on, with the adults keeping busy with various activities and the children running around playing, napping or being taken care of by their parents. When he had a break, every so often Daniel would gather the kids together for a story or a game for all to do for fun. Then everyone broke off for a large family dinner, while the Autobots would sit or stand around near the tables, their own cans of Energon to consume during the large suppertime for all. Afterwards would be THE storytime of the season. The big one. The story that the Autobots told every year for their human guests and their friends. It was a unique story, Spike had originally helped a couple Autobots write it. It had big guest stars, such as Santa and Rudolph—as well as figures from Cybertronian history, naming Primus in this story as someone rather similar to Santa Claus (rather than God or “_a god_”).

Depending on who told it and their enthusiasm—and how liberally they might take some of the actual text—it could be a pretty stunning hour of story for everyone. Rodimus Prime, himself, had seen several years of the story while being stationed at the _ARK_ and Metroplex—and as the Witwickys’ bodyguard/Daniel’s babysitter. Kup took the most liberal interpretations of the story and Arcee read it joyfully………..but Rodimus loved when the Autobots who’d been on Earth for awhile and knew more about the human cultures had read the story. Warpath was tons of fun to listen to him tell the story—he used a bunch of made-up sound effects!

Gears reading the “_Holiday Story_” was the best he’d ever experienced. But Ratchet had a real flair for reading it—that was another favorite read of Rodimus’. Of course, neither mech was around anymore—and with so many new mechs and femmes coming in from all over the galaxy, some even were choosing to come to Earth. In the future, there would be new people to read the “_Holiday Story_”—new interpretations and new voices were something to look forward to.

This year, Optimus Prime thought that Rodimus should be the one to read the “Holiday Story” at Metroplex. Especially since Rodimus Prime had been working hard to bring all Cybertronians together and to get the universe used to their species……..and that the flame-colored mech would be on Earth this time, this particular year.

Some of the children, who’d been to Metroplex in the past few years, knew about the story and gathered together when asked to. Other kids still ran around a bit until they saw that a crowd was gathering near the Christmas tree and Rodimus Prime was seated with a reader tablet and talking to the children who were sitting in front of him. It didn’t take long before all the kids (and the parents holding on to the littler ones) were ready for the “_Holiday Story_”.

_Once upon a time, a mech known as Primus tended a great daycare of little robots on a planet called Cybertron. Things had gone great for a really long time and all the mechlings and femmelings seemed to be very happy, very energetic and very curious. One day, a mechling—or perhaps a femmeling—had gone over to Primus and asked if they would get presents at Christmas. This question had Primus very bewildered—he had no idea what this “**Christmas**” thing was whatsoever. Then the child explained that they had been looking through the great telescope at this blue planet called “**Earth**” and the little ones there had this Christmas activity thing, where they’d get presents if they were good, from a guy called “**Santa Claus**”._

_Of course, this child’s complaints soon had every little one on Cybertron clamouring for presents because they were all “**good little ones**”! Primus had no idea what to do about this situation. The mechlings and femmelings had never wanted anything so much as they seemed to want this “**Christmas**” and the “**presents**”! And there was likely no reason for this “**Santa Claus**” to make a space trip to come to Cybertron and deliver presents—this Santa guy probably had no idea that Cybertron even existed, to be honest._

_“Little ones, if you will take a very long nap-cycle—then I will go ask this Santa Claus for some presents for all of you,” Primus said to them all._

_Now, for little ones, saying the mere word “**nap-cycle**” was asking for protests and tantrums and outright refusal. But they all really wanted presents so badly, all the mechlings and femmelings on Cybertron agreed to take a long nap-cycle. Once Primus was certain every little robot on the daycare-planet of Cybertron was asleep—he then took his fastest little spacecraft and went to the blue planet Earth. According to what the children told him, from when they looked through the great telescope, this Santa person lived at the topmost part of the planet, “**The North Pole**”._

_It looked very festive there, as Primus landed his spacecraft and looked around. Colored lights and decorated pine trees were everywhere. The habitation building looked nice and quaint—until Primus saw the factory building, which stood behind the habitation building, and dwarfed it by being three times as large. Oddly, for a factory that was humming with working machines and beings, it seemed rather clean—there were no burning smells or plumes of smoke coming from the vents of the building._

_“This Santa has a good concept of clean fuels. He must be a very good person,” Primus said aloud, softly, to himself. As he approached the habitation building, he was suddenly confronted by a dozen small beings—smaller even than his mechlings and femmelings back on Cybertron—and they were not robotic. They had pale derma that looked very soft and squishy. **‘Ah! These are organics! I have read about them in my books! I never believed I would see one!’** The great caretaker of Cybertron thought to himself excitedly._

_The Elves though, for that’s what they were—Santa’s most skillful protectors and hardest workers!—they didn’t quite think that Primus was as exciting a discovery as he found them to be. They had aimed at him anything they might use for weapons—including soft-pellet slingshots and water-pistols._

_“At ease, my little friends! This is a new friend—the skillful Primus from nearby Cybertron—come to visit us!” A jolly-sounding voice said. It was deep and warm and the being it belonged to came out of the habitation building, laughing heartily and patting his very plump abdomen._

_“Then you must be this Santa Claus. But how do you know my name?” Primus asked, curiously._

_“I know everything that happens everywhere,” Santa Claus laughed warmly. “And your little ones have seen to give you plenty of trouble by asking you for holiday gifts, when you aren’t even sure what this holiday is.”_

_Primus was very grateful that he didn’t need to explain why he’d travelled so far, especially since he had no clue what this “**Christmas**” was or why the mechlings and femmelings of Cybertron suddenly wanted to celebrate it and get presents._

_“But I hadn’t anticipated more younglings wanting gifts this year. And while it is true your children have been very good this year, Primus—I’m afraid we didn’t make enough toys for them as gifts,” Santa continued with a very deep sigh. “They have never wanted them before, so I didn’t include them in my order to the Elves.”_

_This was a very serious quandry. Now what could Primus do? The mechlings and femmelings would be so disappointed not to receive any presents—and even this Santa Claus fellow had said what good children they all were. The little ones would be devastated not to be rewarded for being good._

_“I do have a friend, however—an Elf who used to work here at the North Pole and now runs his own workshop at the South Pole. I never understood why he left, but he always seems to have plenty of toys on hand when I might run short of them,” Santa Claus continued. “But he isn’t the friendly sort, so I should send along with you one of my most trusted Reindeer—so that he knows you are a friend with a favor to ask. Rudolph will vouch for you.”_

_The vehicle that Primus was directed to ride in seemed so strange to be able to even have any flight capabilities, but Santa explained it was magic. Primus would admit he could not understand this “magic” and was a mech of more scientific leanings. But a large, bulky Reindeer with an oversized spherical red nose was in a harness to the item called a “sleigh” and chatting cheerfully with a softer-colored Reindeer, which was likely female and his mate by the way this Rudolph was talking to her._

_“Spare no charge Rudolph! Take my dear friend Primus to the South Pole as swiftly as you can!” Santa Claus said, giving the large Reindeer a hefty few pats on the neck._

_“Hang on, then!” Rudolph laughed, all of his muscles tensing. Then he sprinted and the sleigh glided behind him—and with a mighty jump, the red-nosed Reindeer leapt up into the air. With a small jolt, the sleigh did the same as well. “It’s not the easiest of takeoffs, but you get used to it. Magic is nice, but it’s far from perfect!” The Reindeer chortled, amusement in his voice._

_“I suppose it has its uses,” Primus responded, holding on tightly to the edge-rails of the sleigh. Surprisingly it was a very swift ride all the way to the South Pole—which must have been more of that magic thing that the mech from Cybertron was really unfamiliar with—they seemed to be there within about fifteen minutes, no real time to talk or anything._

_Rudolph landed a little ways away from the snow-blasted habitation building. It was half-buried in snow on the one side, which meant the wind must have been blowing from that direction for a pretty long time. It also had some colorful lights and garland as decoration, even though it appeared there was no one around to notice it—and most of it was obscured by snow._

_“What am I? A mole? I can’t dig to Brock’s door—these hooves are not made for that!” Rudolph groaned deeply, stomping one of said hooves on the frosty tundra in front of him. “Brock! Broooooooooccccckkk!!!” The bulky Reindeer bellowed loudly._

_“Go away! No one’s home!” A loud and grumpy voice said from the buried house—muffled by the walls and snow._

_Primus rubbed his temples soothingly. That was no real kind of answer—clearly by answering, this Brock Elf fellow proved he was indeed home. Well, it was time for the caretaker of Cybertron prove his adaptability—he transformed into a bulky vehicle mode with a claw-shovel and began clearing the drifted up snow from around the buried habitation building. It was merely one of many alternative modes Primus could take—and this one suited the moment. After clearing the piled up snow, he transformed into a huge box-fan-like form and blew hot air all over the building, completely cleaning it up and making it even shinier than it could ever be!_

_That was when a very tall, very slender, pale-flesh-colored male swung open his front door—wrapped in a few layers of sweaters and sweatpants. He glared at the two visitors and then grumpily folded his arms across his chest……..well, as able as he was to do so with that many sweaters on._

_“Oh yeah. I forgot how tall Brock was,” Rudolph chuckled. “Hey Brock, it’s been a couple decades, how are you?” The red-nosed Reindeer greeted, walking over to the doorway where the tall Elf was muttering and waiting for his visitors to come inside, though he hadn’t specifically asked either of them to do so. “This guy is Primus—he’s from a planet called Cybertron, which is………”_

_“Yes, yes……..I am perfectly aware of the inhabited planets in this end of the galaxy,” Brock responded grumpily as he slammed the door shut once Primus and Rudolph came inside. “Look, Primus—I’m sure you’re a good guy and everything, but do you even know what your little ones want and do they even understand the holiday they want presents for?”_

_“You could be a little nicer, Brock…….” Rudolph muttered under his breath. “He means **‘the holiday spirit’**—and it’s something that not even most humans on this planet even really understand. Actually the real term is so much older and comes from Celtic, but………”_

_“**Please**. He has no idea what you’re talking about, Shiny-Nose,” Brock grumbled. “Look, Primus. What we’re getting at is……….to earn the presents, you have to show the holiday spirit. You can’t just be a **‘good child’**. This is what you need to teach your little ones before they can have Christmas presents.”_

_“Kindness towards all,” Rudolph said, standing proudly with his chest puffed out._

_“Do good things without expecting rewards,” Brock said, motioning with one four-fingered hand as he rested his other on his hip. “Spread peace and stop war.”_

_“Do unto others, as you’d like them to do for you,” Rudolph added, nodding over at the caretaker of Cybertron._

_“This year, your little ones will likely have to do without, but you can teach them what to do to earn it next year. And if they show the true spirit and are good—I will make special toys for your little ones. A year is not far away, I’m certain they can wait another year,” Brock said, his voice finally becoming more friendly and soothing._

_Primus realized he had focused so much on Cybertron and taking care of all the younglings that he really knew nothing of the universe. The ideals the two spoke to him of were very worthy ideals to work for. This Elf knew of the universe, at least as much as Santa Claus had. The caretaker of Cybertron was very pensive and disappointed in himself as he went back to the North Pole, got in his spacecraft and went back home._

_The mechlings and the femmelings were all still in their long nap-cycle. It would be hard to explain all of this to them, but Primus knew he had to at least try. There’d probably be a lot of crying, since they weren’t getting any presents. That was when a great revelation hit the caretaker of Cybertron! They needed to understand the universe—they needed to make friends across the universe. They needed to offer friendship and assistance to all. Only by making friends across the universe would the Cybertronians truly understand the core of this “**holiday spirit**”! They would start by making friends with the blue planet Earth!_

_Primus would explain all of that to the younglings when they woke up, but for now he could create a simple gift for them. When the mechlings and femmelings all woke up from their nap-cycle, they saw a beautiful aurora rippling and glowing in the sky above them. They were all in awe and forgot to ask about the presents that day. The next day, Primus began to teach them all what they must do and become friends with everyone in the universe._

_And wouldn’t you know it—the next year, after the horde of younglings began to do good and be kind to all and started by making friends with the humans of Earth. Every little mechling and femmeling on Cybertron got very special gifts from Brock (and Santa Claus helped!)………and they all celebrated the holiday season in the proper way, with love and joy and friendship with one another._

By the time Rodimus had finished the story, most of the really little ones were asleep and the parents had begun to take them off to bed. Kicker raised his hand, which had the young Autobot Leader puzzled, as it usually meant one wanted to answer a question.

“If children are new for your people—why does _this story_ have them?” The little boy asked, knowing that the “_Holiday Story_” had been around for a very long time. At least since 1987, when Spike began writing the first draft with some of the Autobots.

“_Well_. It **_is_** a good question, but it’s a story. I mean, _really_?” Rodimus laughed. “I think that Tracks and Wheeljack made up the terms to create the equivalent of children for Transformers—we’re able to use them for real now, though. Trust me, I certainly didn’t make up the words myself!” The flame-colored mech chuckled. “It seemed that a Christmas story needed to have children in it and there were no real plot points to bring human children into it.”

“_Awwww_………….so, it’s not real?” One of the little girls mumbled.

“We have an ancestor named Primus who is very important to us, very much like a _‘parent’_. And the story is truly about learning to use your **_own_** power of the holiday spirit, right in _here_,” Rodimus Prime murmured, reaching down and lightly placing the tip of his forefinger over her heart. “Love and kindness towards others is the important part of the story, right? Those are the things that Santa looks for in **_all_** good kids. If you do good things and help others, then Santa Claus will bring you the presents you deserve.”

“_Yeah! Love everybody!_” The little girl said, excitedly, grinning and hopping up to run and play with some of the other kids who’d already wandered off.

“Storm, are you ready for recharge? The sooner you go to sleep, then the sooner your birthday will be here and you can have your presents,” Rodimus said, looking down at the red-colored femmeling who was crush-hugging her Red Panda plush.

“Tomorrow’s Stormy’s birthday? I didn’t know!” Kicker gasped.

“Well, the weird time discrepancy between Earth and Chaar means it’s more like overnight here. But it’s close enough,” Rodimus Prime chuckled, picking up the femmeling when she made grabby-hands up at him. “We’ll see you tomorrow morning, Kicker. All the fun stuff will finally reach the ultimate crazy level,” the flame-colored mech chuckled.

By the time morning came—it was even more of a madhouse than it had been on the 24th alone. Kids were squealing, squirming and howling for presents. Rodimus Prime stood in the doorway to the main gathering room, holding a sleepy Stormbreaker in his arms, as they watched human children tear about or cry—some of the infants were very unhappy with all the noise so early in the morning, when they’d rather be sleeping. Optimus Prime was trying to get the herd of children to settle down and get ready for present hand-outs with their families and other Autobots were already sorting out the multitude of boxes under the tree into proper family groups.

Rodimus remembered all the past times he’d been here very fondly. Once Daniel had been in a throng of children like this, demanding presents—then, when he was older, he learned to ask for them more politely or to wait his turn. Many of the families were already claiming spaces in various areas of the room and the Autobots sorting the presents took them over to their respective families. It didn’t take long for all the family groups to settle down in their little areas and start their own celebrations. Of course, once all the presents had been open—**_then_** all the kids would be running around like crazy again. The flame-colored mech went to sit on the floor beside Optimus, next to the Christmas tree, and set Stormbreaker in his lap.

“Here you are, Stormy,” Optimus Prime chuckled, handing her an oblong box with some purple ribbon tied around it. “It says it’s from your carrier.”

“_Yay!_” Stormbreaker squealed, using her small, clawed servos to rip open the paper as she saw the other children doing. When she opened the box, with a little bit of help from Rodimus, she found a soft blanket that was really thick. There was a pattern of cats playing with various cat toys from yarn to squeak-mice on it.

“It’s a weighted blanket. Just like what I got your sire a few months ago, remember?” Rodimus said as she grabbed the corner of the blanket and hugged it to her cheek happily.

“_Stormy loves!_” The red-colored femmeling squealed happily. “**_Kitties!_**” She giggled, pulling more of the blanket against her and hugging it tight.

Optimus reached over a servo and rubbed a couple fingers lightly on her helm and she purred happily. He reached over for another box to hand to the femmeling. She dropped the blanket into her lap and held out her servos for it.

“This one says it’s from Daniel and his family,” the former Autobot Leader chuckled.

She tore open the wrapping paper and shredded the pink ribbon as she tugged on the box lid excitedly. “_Yay! Isssssssss cooooollloooringgggg booooooooooook nnnnn craaaaaaayyyyyonnnns!_” She said, looking at the very large sized (in human terms) coloring book of puppies and kitties, plus the large box of oversized crayons.

“You’re running out of room in your lap, sweet-spark……..let me put some stuff off to the side. You have two more boxes to open up,” Rodimus Prime chuckled, taking the box with the crayons and the coloring book from her and putting it beside him. Then he rearranged the weighted blanket and spread it across her legs.

Optimus Prime handed her another box, but this one was very large and he said he’d hold onto it while she took the paper and blue ribbon off of it. She clawed excitedly at the paper and ribbon and pulled off the lid and a squishy thing fell out of the box, it was caught by Rodimus instantly before it seemed like it was attacking the little red femmeling.

“This is from the Autobots here at Metroplex. Do you know what it is, Stormy?” The red-and-blue mech asked with a warm chuckle in his voice.

“_Noooooo_, butsssss squiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiishy!” She squeaked, digging her servos into the plush pillow-like thing.

“It’s a pillow back-rest,” Rodimus said. “Like **_this_**,” he added, taking it out of the box completely and arranging it behind her back, against his chestplate. “You can put it behind you when you sit on the floor or on the berth or even in a chair.”

“**_Oooooooh!_**_ Squiiiiiiiissssshhhhhyyyyy!!!_” Stormbreaker squealed, squirming her frame and pushing back against the weird-shaped pillow. “**_Love!!!_**” She giggled, grinning up at Optimus Prime. “_Thaaaaaaanksssss!!!_”

“You’re very welcome. You have one more present, from Santa Claus,” Optimus said, reaching over for one last box. It was quite large and somewhat heavy. The former Autobot Leader held up the big box for her to admire the foil and sparkly wrapping paper and giant red-glittered bow. 

She made the biggest “_ooooh_” sound she’d ever made before and her optic orbs cycled open very wide as her purple optic glass glowed brightly. Rodimus chuckled and asked if she was worried about cutting into the paper wrapping. She nodded vigorously. He showed her how to open the edges where the tape was, very carefully with her clawed servos. Then he helped her peel the paper away and set it aside with her coloring book and crayons beside him. Stormbreaker was very puzzled when she saw the big black, flat-looking thing with a zipper on the top of the box.

“Oh, man…………Storm—_that’s really super-special_!” Rodimus Prime said with much enthusiasm.

She looked very disappointed, though—it wasn’t shiny or flashy and she didn’t know what it was. At this point—the wrapping it had come in was more exciting than what this was. The flame-colored mech reached over and pulled it out of the box.

“This is a _portfolio_. It’s for you to put your art in, so that it doesn’t get hurt or damaged,” he said, unzipping it and opening it up. “This pocket _here_…………..you can store blank paper in—and there’s a slot for your artist tools……….” he said, showing it all to her.

“_’Kay_,” Stormbreaker murmured, still not quite understanding, but she looked back at the box, which Optimus Prime was still holding out to her—there was _something else_ in it! She pulled out the big, white flat thing to find it was a packet of paper to draw on—Rodimus quickly grabbed it, because she wasn’t expecting it to be so heavy. And then, beneath the pad of paper………. “**_PAINT!!!_**” Stormbreaker squealed loudly.

There were various small plastic bottles of acrylic paints—in about a dozen colors (including some bright neon ones)…………and a packet of many different sizes of actual brushes (primarily very large sized ones). Rodimus Prime noted that the brushes looked handcrafted—someone must have gone to an art supply company and asked for different kinds of brushes which would suit Stormbreaker’s size (and anticipation of a growth spurt or two). She’d have to learn to use these brushes, which were very different than even the foam brushes Daniel had shown her the other day. _This was a gift for her creative future_—and while she may not have understood the purpose of the portfolio yet, Rodimus would make sure to teach her about protecting her art.

After an hour or so, all the kids began wandering around with their new toys. Kicker came over to see everything that Stormbreaker got and he was actually very impressed with the portfolio. He knew that was a very nice one (and he knew it was rather expensive—his mom was a recreational artist, so he had something of an idea on how expensive art supplies were). With Kicker’s admiration, Stormbreaker decided that even though she didn’t understand what the portfolio was—it had to be really important.

The kids all began to play. Rodimus got up and walked around and began to head for the doorway of the gathering room when he very nearly ran smack into Galvatron—whom neither he, nor Stormbreaker, had even felt approaching. _And normally they both could!_ It had to be the mass of Autobots and other Cybertronians in Metroplex—as well as Metroplex’s own EM field which dampened Galvatron familiar field.

“_Wow, hey_—you made it!” Rodimus Prime laughed, lightly reaching up and punching his lover’s right shoulder pillar. “Storm will be so happy to see you, she made something just for you, Galvatron,” he added, grinning at the powerful Leader of the Decepticons.

“I see she has not even felt me yet,” Galvatron said, a light chortle in his voice—very surprised not to be instantly mobbed by his youngest offspring, as he usually was.

“I think it’s Metroplex’s field—I didn’t even feel you, my lord,” the flame-colored mech chuckled warmly. “_Buuuuuuuuuuuuut_……….she totally just saw you!” He laughed when the femmeling looked over, saw her sire and began mewling for him as she ran over (as best as she could, with only one tiny little fall along the way).

Every single human eye in the room turned to the doorway when they heard Stormbreaker’s excited cry and all activity stopped when they saw Galvatron standing there. They all stared as he plucked her up by the back of her neck (the adults absolutely cringed upon seeing that) and she burrowed into his chest, purring happily at her sire. The adults kind of looked at each other and laughed—realizing Galvatron wasn’t a threat at all (_right now_) and his daughter adored him—then everyone went back to everything they were doing and the children went back to playing.

“Happy celebration of your day of birth, my Stormbreaker,” Galvatron said, looking down at her as she stared up at him. “Your carrier tells me you have a gift for me.” She nodded vigorously up at him. “It can wait. I shall be here for a few hours. I would like you to continue to enjoy playing with your human friends and then we will spend time together later, my Stormbreaker.”

“_’Kayyyyyyyyyy!_” The red-colored femmeling giggled as Galvatron set her down. She went back over to Kicker and the kids he was playing with.

“She is happy on this day recognizing her birth—that is all that matters,” Galvatron said, turning his head to gaze over at Rodimus Prime standing next to him. “My Prime, I feel I should be worried at that ridiculously large grin on your faceplate.”

Rodimus laughed and pointed upwards. Even though he pretty much realized that Galvatron would not have a single clue about the sprig of mistletoe hanging from the top of the doorway.

“Yes, it is a plant hanging from a string—why should such a thing be amusing to you?” The bulky purple mech sighed softly, planting his servos on his hips and shaking his head.

“Here on Earth during this season—it has _very special meaning_, my beloved Emperor,” Rodimus Prime purred, grabbing the back of Galvatron neck and pulling their faceplates close before kissing him passionately, with glossa swiping over the older mech’s lips before both of their glossa began sliding against one another. “Surely you can appreciate it _now_?” He chuckled, grinning at Galvatron.

“I cannot believe humans have given a plant the ability to give them permission to kiss in public,” the Emperor of the Decepticons groaned, but then he grabbed the back of his younger lover’s neck, a little bit roughly. “_Still_. I shall not complain at such a thing,” he added, kissing Rodimus Prime intensely and passionately.


	19. Galvatron's Date Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's New Year's on Earth and Rodimus Prime prepares a special celebration for Galvatron on Athenia.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Clearly I'd wanted to have this for New Year's but time got away from me. Here you go! :)
> 
> Also, art from the G1S3 stories I've been writing that I've been meaning to share with you all, too. :D  
https://www.weasyl.com/~keirajo/submissions/1866785/other-characters-set  
https://www.weasyl.com/~keirajo/submissions/1866484/thunder-arrow-crew-set

_ Chapter Nineteen: Galvatron’s Date Night _

Galvatron was extremely puzzled at why Rodimus Prime had asked him to come to the humans’ Athenia Base just shortly after his visit around the strange Earth holiday called Christmas. As far as the Emperor of the Decepticons was concerned, **_that_** was his precious Stormbreaker’s day of birth celebtration—he could care less about the humans’ silly little holidays. But apparently this was another silly human holiday and his Autobot lover was asking him to spend it with him.

The powerful warmachine’s first thought when receiving the glyph was to _refuse instantly_. He had just been there, there had been no fragging—though the kiss was rather heated. But he knew that the weird holiday he’d shown up for **_wasn’t_** about sex, _it was about family_, so he respected that reasoning and went back to Chaar eager for a frag that Cyclonus was very happy to provide for him.

At least he wasn’t asked to come straight to the stupid humans’ base on the planetoid.

Rodimus Prime’s invite glyph asked for a day and night—and set the meeting for the large canyon a dozen kilometers from the humans’ base. It was a strange invite, but since his younger lover had clearly not returned to Cybertron yet—and knowing how he couldn’t just frag anyone he felt like grabbing—_clearly_ Rodimus was a little bit wanting in the interfacing department. _But still_……time together for a day and a night in the outdoors was an unusual invite from the younger mech. Galvatron puzzled over it the entire time he spent flying to the planetoid, passing through the warp gates that he’d long ago been given special permission to use by the Earth Defense Command and Galactic Alliance, until he finally arrived and landed in the canyon where he saw Rodimus Prime’s bio-signature was waiting for him.

“_Oh_, well this is interesting,” Galvatron chuckled.

He looked around and it had clearly been set up for a “_camp out_” of some sort. There was a large area set out with a very large cushioned mat, covered with an all-weather blanket of some sort. There were plenty of plush pillows as well. Posts were stuck into the ground in several spaces farther out from the edge of the canyon’s wall where it appeared there were pistons stuck into the rock face and a rolled-up tarp there. It meant that the posts stuck in the ground would have the tarp edges affixed to them in the case of inclement weather or something. There was also an Energon storage case nearby, some kind of thing that looked as if it had some kind of polishing equipment in it. It was probably more luxurious than a “_camp out_” probably should be, but it suited Galvatron’s sensibilities just fine.

“_Huzzah!_ Then I’ve planned it well!” Rodimus laughed, warmly, opening the Energon storage case and pulled out a can of high-grade, knowing Galvatron would need it after his solo flight from Chaar to here. “For the celebration of the Earthlings’ new year’s holiday, you’re supposed to enjoy it—_and all the fun adult things to go with it_—with the one you love. I like Magnus, but you’re **_my number one_**, Galvatron—so, I want to do it with you.”

“_Why_ must you involve me in silly human holidays, can you not just ask me to visit for a frag?” Galvatron sighed, accepting the can of Energon and kicking it back in one tremendous swallow.

“It’s _no fun_ to do that at random, my lord—that’s why I show up on Chaar. Requests should have meanings to them,” Rodimus Prime responded with a light pout in his voice. “The humans will have a fireworks show—here on Athenia, their _‘midnight’_ hour. It’s about five hours from now—I hope it’ll be dark enough to enjoy them, too. Athenia’s atmosphere tends to stay lighter longer, so it should be just about as it gets full dark here and before the two mini-moons rise.”

“So, you would like to waste the time before the light show by fragging?” Galvatron asked, frowning, because he really wasn’t following this conversation at all. “Prime, I refuse to indulge you to simply waste time—you _must_ make this worth it for me to stay.”

“_Oh_, but I intend to, my dear Emperor,” the flame-colored mech chuckled softly. He lightly pushed on the warmachine’s chest, making him step back towards the large covered mat and the pillows. “Lay down and I’ll show you _exactly_ how I plan to make it worth your while………..” he purred, sultrily.

Galvatron grinned with a devious little smirk and laid on his back, relaxing into the mat and the pillows. Rodimus Prime grabbed his little basket of polish supplies and set it down beside Galvatron and then knelt over his older lover, straddling his hips. The powerful Decepticon reached over and placed his servos lightly on his younger lover’s hip-plating.

“_Now, now_—not quite yet, my lord,” the young Autobot Leader chuckled fondly, giving playful slaps against his lover’s servos on his hips. Then he grabbed Galvatron’s wrists and pressed them up towards the rock face of the canyon. “_Hold that pose!_” He laughed, quickly snapping a set of handcuffs around the Decepticon Leader’s wrists.

Galvatron’s field washed over him with a little bit of annoyance—_he was not the one who was **ever** tied down or handcuffed!!!_ Rodimus Prime laughed and made a shushing sound over his mouth with a digit.

“Honestly, my lord—if isn’t as if those _really_ tie you down in any way. You could try and at least indulge me for a little bit, it might be fun,” he said, grinning down at his older lover.

“Oh, very well, Prime—I suppose I shall allow you to have your way, _just this once_,” Galvatron responded, making his voice sound bored and uninterested. Even though he did not enjoy **_not_** having the upper hand in any interfacing situation, he figured he would consider this something as merely as his precious Prime taking the time to _pamper him_—with the cuffs making the powerful warmachine not get too grabby and forceful in the situation.

“I appreciate it,” the flame-colored mech laughed, reaching over for his basket of supplies and began to pull some oils out of it, plus some super-soft hand sponges. He poured oil onto one of the sponges and then began to rub gently on Galvatron’s chest-plate.

The powerful Decepticon Leader decided to relax, offline his optics, and enjoy the massage. It was _very soothing_ and the young Autobot Leader was very thorough, about getting the massage oils everywhere that felt good and relaxed him. He hadn’t realized he’d built up that much tension until he was given this particular massage. Galvatron gave a little sigh of pleasure and waited until he felt the gentle swipes of the drying cloth, to get excess oils off of his frame and derma.

“That was indeed enjoyable, my Prime,” Galvatron murmured softly. “I saw polish materials as well—is _that_ next?” He inquired, onlining his optics and looking up at his younger lover curiously.

“Ideally, _yeah_, but………..I think you have something you’d like me to take care of right now, _mmm_?” Rodimus chuckled, reaching down and patting the very warm groinplating of his older lover.

“If you should like to,” Galvatron purred, waiting until Rodimus Prime had moved off of his hips to open his groinplating’s spike cover and let it pressurize to full. The crimson biolighting on the transfluid pressure line was glowing fiercely and the large-and-deeply-ridged spike was thick and hard.

“Didn’t you get enough outta Cyclonus? I mean, **_this_** looks like you’ve abstained a little bit, my lord,” the flame-colored mech teased as he laid out between the purple-and-grey mech’s legs.

“Prime—piss me off too much and this will **_not_** be a fragging we will enjoy,” Galvatron said in a very low and dangerous tone, making sure he rattled the handcuffs a little to make his point. The Decepticon Leader was very proud of his sexual skill and being teased about abstaining was not a point he would let go.

Rodimus sighed softly, Galvatron could be _so touchy_ with some things. Rather than saying any more words, he leaned forwards and swiped his glossa up the transfluid pressure line, roughly. He gave several quick, rough strokes and Galvatron’s annoyance simmered down and his field went back to neutral with a bit of satisfaction dripping through it. So, the young flame-colored mech continued his glossa stroking and then, eventually, put the thick spike into his mouth. He took as much of it as he could, deep down his intake and moved slowly at first, then a bit more rapidly and with some sucking.

It didn’t take too long before Galvatron grunted deeply and released a heavy overload—violet charges rippled over his frame and thick transfluid filled Rodimus Prime’s mouth quickly. The younger mech swallowed as much as he could before pulling back with a slight cough and silvery translfluid leaking from the corners of his mouth.

“You always tease me for **_my _**sex drive, but you’re pretty insatiable yourself, my lord,” Rodimus Prime said, pulling himself up to a kneeling position and leaned forwards over Galvatron to lay out on his chest and listen to the powerful Spark spinning in his lover’s chest.

For Galvatron to be able to give powerful overloads every time, with thick transfluid no matter how much he interfaced with others—it showed the older mech had just as much stamina and drive, as Rodimus had energy and drive. The powerful Decepticon Leader was just able to control himself a little more—he could hold back quite a lot, for quite a long time.

“I would _never_ leave a partner unfulfilled, my Prime—you are aware of this,” Galvatron said, neutrally, but he felt Rodimus Prime’s warmth on top of him and cherished it.

“That’s true. Let me give you a good polish, my Emperor—then let’s see if we can _go for more_,” the flame-colored mech said, happily. He pulled himself up, straddled his lover’s hips again, making sure the half-pressurized spike was against his own groinplating. He was hot enough and revved enough to go on all night already. But he wanted to make this a _special celebration_ for the two of them—to forge a new year together, even when they might be systems apart.

Rodimus got out a fresh sponge, Galvatron’s most favorite type of polish and some buffing cloths. Then he set to work, polishing all of Galvatron’s front side. He was about to reach up and unlock the handcuffs to ask Galvatron to turn over when burning crimson optics met his.

“**_Do not_**. Complete what you desire—the polish was merely a formality,” Galvatron said in a very, _very_ low voice.

Rodimus Prime smiled and pulled back, raising his hips and opening his array plates. Then he lowered his dripping valve over Galvatron’s once-again pressurized spike. He slid onto the thick organ very easily. Then he began to ride his lover’s spike, eventually offlining his optics and leaning back to maximize the sensations of the moving friction for both of them. The young Autobot Leader whimpered and moaned with pleasure, surrendering to all his lust as his field whipped out and slithered over Galvatron’s generally neutral field, latching onto the rippling lust moving through it and merging together.

The younger flame-colored mech overloaded, lightning of red, orange and yellow surging across his frame. And then he slumped forwards onto Galvatron’s frame, feeling the slippery-stickiness of his own transfluid against his chest and the chestplating of the one he loved, gluing their frames in an erotic way. As he incycled and exvented to slow the hard pulsing of his fuel pump, he could feel that his older lover’s spike was still pretty hard and thick inside of him. _Of course, Galvatron was holding back, expecting more._ Rodimus Prime chuckled softly and patted a servo lightly on the grey-and-purple mech’s shoulder.

“I guess we’re even now, _hmmm_? The next one we’ll share together?” The young Autobot Leader asked softly, feeling very warm and comfortable with his lover here with him.

“Do we have time for another round before your light show that you are looking forward to?” Galvatron chuckled—and this time **_he_** was doing some light teasing.

“Gimme one hell of a good fragging and we’ll be good,” Rodimus Prime laughed, slowly pulling his valve off of Galvatron’s spike and leaned forwards to finally un-cuff his older lover. “You want me on my front or my back?” He asked, as the powerful Decepticon Leader rolled sideways and rose to his knee-joints.

“Your side that you are on shall do just fine, my Prime,” the purple-and-grey mech chuckled, reaching down to grab the leg nearest to him and wrenched the flame-colored mech’s legs apart, spearing the wet valve with his spike in a scissoring position.

Rodimus Prime moaned deeply, offlining his optics and savoring the sensations of pleasure that flooded through him. This was not a position they’d used much over the years and the sensations always took him by surprise, as his lover’s spike-head raked across sensor nodes in his valve that were usually not touched by the more common sex-positions. They both felt it deeply and intensely this time and overloaded together, their excess charges of violet and flames mixing and merging, until they fell onto the mat together and just let their emotions of satisfaction ripple and touch one another with their EM fields.

“Night seems to be falling,” Galvatron remarked, finally rolling over onto his back as Rodimus Prime crawled over to the Energon storage case and pulled out two cans of Premium Grade Energon for them both. Then he crawled back over to curl up at his older lover’s side. “The Energon is appreciated, my Prime,” the Decepticon Leader chuckled fondly, reaching his free arm beneath the side of his younger lover’s frame and patted the familiar aft fondly.

“No problem. Thanks for the fragging,” Rodimus Prime chuckled warmly. “Athenia has nice colors in their sky. It must be the slightly different elements in the air from the Earth.”

Galvatron made a non-committal sound. _He could care less about **any** of that_. But the afternoon and evening they spent fragging was very satisfying to him. The Energon that Rodimus gave him was always delightful. He was all right with relaxing for now. It _wasn’t_ a wasted trip to come here, after all.

Then a brilliant flare of red lights and sparks erupted in the dark violet sky, with a deep boom a short few moments later. More blossoms of light began to erupt and fill the sky, with choruses of booms following in their wake. Galvatron could feel Rodimus Prime’s EM field fill with a completely different form of excitement—not lust, not desire for battle, not even simple happiness. It was a form of excitement that Galvatron, himself, could not describe.

“Here’s to another year of our relationship, my Emperor,” Rodimus Prime said, his voice full of love and fondness, as he reached up and kissed Galvatron while the sky flared rainbow sparks with the fireworks exploding above them.

“_Tch_, just another year of **_many more_** to come, my foolish young Prime,” Galvatron muttered, pulling his field to wrap Rodimus Prime’s own field around him. But he was very pleased at the relationship they had forged, the offspring they had created and the lasting peace which allowed his Decepticons to grow a better empire.

There would be many more years to come, Galvatron would make sure of that.


End file.
